Piegirl

i KNOW my Redeemer lives!

2009-09-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Gillian shared this very encouraging Scripture and thought on her blog last week, which in turn inspired me to share it with you today:

Job 19:25-27

25 I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.

26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;

27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

...try as they may, no one will be able to pull the plug on a man powered by God.

Be encouraged and be blessed today!

One Million Arrows: Raising your Children to Change the World

2009-09-01T13:24:00.001-07:00

TODAY is the BIG DAY! The AMAZON BOOK BOMB and launch of

One Million Arrows:
Raising Your Children to Change the World

Author Julie Ferwerda is an inspirational Christian speaker and writer who is just an amazing Christ follower! She is passionate about her faith and describes herself as a "truth-teller" who treasures her family and friends. I had the privilege of being inspired by Julie's instruction when my Women's Adventure Group at church invited her to be the featured speaker of our Amazing Race Women's Retreat at Ralston White Retreat Center in Mill Valley, California, in November 2008.

I'm sharing this with you TODAY because I believe that this book will not only be LIFE changing but also WORLD changing!

We need everyone to help to make this day a BIG SUCCESS!
Please pass this on!

Dear God, bless this effort and those who purchase this book and share it, for Your children and Your Kingdom! AMEN

CATcerto

2009-08-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

about 2 years ago, i shared a video of Nora the piano-playing cat showing us how practice makes purrfect! well, today i came across an incredible performance by Nora of a piano concerto composed especially for her. it is appropriately entitled CATcerto!

you can read more about the composer, Mindaugas Piečaitis, and the inspiration behind this work at the CATcerto website. you can also follow Nora on twitter @NoraThePianoCat

giant oatmeal spice chocolate chip raisin cookies

2009-05-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

my friend Barbara and her husband Kevin are training for a 100-mile bike ride to support Barbara's mom, who is recovering from lymphoma, and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. as part of her fund raising, she is also hosting a benefit concert this weekend and asked if i would bake some cookies for sale during intermission.

i opted to make an oatmeal cookie. Barbara suggested making large cookies for the sale, so i went hunting for a recipe and found this giant oatmeal-spice cookie recipe from Southern Living, March 2003. i modified the recipe based on several others i had seen. this oatmeal cookie is chewy on the inside with a lightly crispy outside. while i was mixing up the ingredients, i discovered that i didn't have ground ginger, so i added a little more spice than what the recipe calls for below.

Giant Oatmeal Spice Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen large cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cardomom

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons white sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick oats
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chocolate chips

1 In a small mixing bowl, combine first 7 ingredients and mix well.

2 In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of white sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing in with a spatula or wooden spoon.

3 Stir in the oats, raisins and chocolate chips.

4 Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

5 Drop cookie dough by level 1/4 cupful two inches apart onto baking sheet. Dip the base of a round glass in the remaining 2 tablespoons of white sugar and press the cookie mound to flatten.

6 Bake 2 cookie sheets at a time at 350F for 11-12 minutes, switching cookie sheets on oven racks midway. Cookies should be golden brown when done. Cool slightly on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

vegetarian mexican lasagna

2009-05-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

to avoid eating out, due to the H1N1 flu virus, and to save $$, i've made a decided effort to start cooking our own meals regularly. yesterday, i made basic rice and beans and we had quite a bit of beans leftover. so today, being Cinco de Mayo, i thought i'd make something Mexican (again) and a variation from our leftovers. i remembered a Mexican lasagna recipe i had seen on the meals matter website and went in search of it. thankfully, i had the necessary ingredients in my fridge and pantry to make a vegetarian version of the recipe.

Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna

12 oz pkg Yves Meatless Ground Round Original
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
pinch of salt
1 12 oz jar salsa
6 10-inch whole wheat and corn flour tortillas (Trader Joe's)
1 can refried beans
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mexican Style cheese

1 Preheat oven to 400F.

2 Heat oil in medium saute pan. Crumble meatless ground round into pan and cook to heat through, seasoning with cumin, taco seasoning and salt. Turn heat off and stir in half of the salsa.

3 Spread remaining salsa in bottom of 10-inch glass pie plate. Top with three tortillas. Spread half of the beans over the tortillas, then half of the ground round mixture, then half of the yogurt or sour cream and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese.

4 Top with remaining three tortillas and repeat the layers, topping off with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.

5 Place pie plate on baking sheet to catch any spillage. Cover pie plate loosely with aluminum foil.

6 Bake in oven until hot throughout and cheese has melted, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve in wedges with additional shredded cheese, guacamole, and a salad of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro and green onion.

chocolate toffee crunch honey grahams

2009-04-25T22:57:00.001-07:00

my friend, Kelly, made her really yummy Toffee Crunch Grahams again last week. so i asked her for the recipe and made some tonight. well, i made a slightly adapted version of her Toffee Crunch, using some ideas from this recipe of chocolate caramel crack(ers) from Smitten Kitchen. my version uses Midel Honey Grahams made with whole wheat which i picked up from Whole Foods this week. they come in smaller squares and i could fit about 35 on my cookie sheet.

Chocolate Toffee Crunch Honey Grahams

1 box of whole wheat graham crackers
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup brown sugar, firmly-packed
big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped nuts ~ pecans or walnuts, or sliced toasted almonds (optional)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
kosher salt flakes (optional)

1 Preheat oven to 375F.

2 Line bottom and edges of a rimmed cookie sheet (approximately 11” x 17") with foil. Cover foil with a sheet of parchment paper.

3 Line cookie sheet to the edges with graham crackers.

4 In a heavy duty saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add salt and vanilla and mix well. Pour over crackers and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired. If using sliced almonds, save for Step 6.

5 Bake in oven until bubbly, about 7-10 minutes, taking care not to burn.

6 Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips (and flaky kosher salt, if desired). Let stand 5 minutes, then spread melted chocolate chips over crackers. If using sliced almonds, spread almonds over chocolate and press down into chocolate.

7 Let cool completely. Cut or break into pieces and store in an airtight container. Should keep well for one week. Careful, as it’s really tempting to eat them all at once!

frankly, i think Kelly's Toffee Crunch Grahams taste better than my version, but these were yummy, too! next time i make her original recipe, i'll share it with you :)

vegetarian wontons

2009-03-10T20:59:00.001-07:00

i had some leftover wonton wrappers from making the baked banana spice wontons yesterday, so i thought i'd make some savory "meat" wontons tonight. but i used vegetarian "meat" instead. regret that i didn't stop to take photos because i didn't think it was going to be such a big deal. well, i was wrong, because i was really impressed at how they tasted. i had a little inspiration from Rasa Malaysia's fried wontons recipe.

here is what i did:

Vegetarian Wontons
Makes 20 wontons / Serves 4

1 10oz can Companion brand Mun-Cha'i-Ya (Peking Vegetarian Roast Duck), minced in food processor
3-4 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped
2 stalks spring onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely chopped/minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
20 wonton wrappers (medium)

1 In a medium mixing bowl, mix minced vegetarian meat, cilantro, spring onion, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and corn starch. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in most of the beaten egg and mix well. Reserve about a tablespoon of the egg for sealing the wontons when wrapping.

2 Place a medium saucepan half filled with water to boil. Meanwhile, wrap the wontons, using about a rounded teaspoon of filling for each wonton. Here is an excellent video by Rasa Malaysia on how to wrap wontons.

3 Place the wrapped wontons in the boiling water, gently stirring to prevent them from sticking. Boil about 5 minutes until cooked and wontons float to the surface. Strain wontons with a slotted spoon or sieve and divvy up wontons in serving bowls.

4 Reserve 3 cups of the boiling water, add chicken or vegetarian bouillon and seasonings to taste. Place desired amount of soup over wontons in serving bowls. Drizzle with sesame oil. Garnish with cilantro and spring onions. Enjoy!

other wonton posts:

VeganYumYum has a nice variation to vegetarian/vegan wonton soup here.

Mochachocolata-Rita shares three ways to do wontons.

a twist on a banana dessert

2009-03-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

i tried making these baked banana spice wontons tonight, courtesy of Vanilla Garlic. i so dig it! so easy and so yummy! served it with vanilla ice cream (wish i had coconut ice cream), and my hubby said it was "like expensive restaurant kind of good!"

thanks, Vanilla Garlic!

i've been tagged.....again!

2008-10-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

i've been blog-tagged again! blog tag is basically like a game of tag, except you share 5 things about yourself, then tag 5 other bloggers to do the same. this time, i've been tagged by my friend Shimona. i referred her to my last "tag post" but she wouldn't settle for that, saying things change in the space of one year. so i'm obliging her with a new post. hmmmm....so what are 5 things you might not know about me....?

1 i am a self-declared Scramble addict. Scramble, which i play on facebook, is a word puzzle game much like Boggle. my Scramble Word IQ is 170 (not the highest, tho).

2 i have a perpetual fear that my car will get stolen again. my previous car was stolen twice.

3 i'm a new fan of cello metal band Apocalyptica.

4 current favorite TV shows i watch: all the CSI shows, NCIS, Heroes, Knight Rider, The Closer, and Burn Notice.

5 i love doing dishes, but not immediately after having cooked and enjoyed a meal.

okay, there you go, Shimona. now must i tag 5 others? oh, all right...

Tricia
Samuelina
Sten
Andrea
Annette

do you use BRITA water filters?

2008-09-28T15:41:00.001-07:00

want to recycle your BRITA filter cartridges? then take a moment to visit this website www.takebackthefilter.org. here you will find a campaign to petition The Clorox Company, who owns BRITA products in North America, to start recycling used BRITA filter cartridges.

currently, the European BRITA companies in Germany and the UK have a take-back recycling program for their used cartridges but there isn't a similar program in North America. help sign the petition to urge Clorox to follow its parent company in eliminating waste and start a recycling program for used filter cartridges.

if you want to meet others in your area interested in a filter collection program, consider joining the Yahoo Group.

thanks for keeping the earth green!

no-bake vegetarian lasagna rolls

2008-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

i'm on the mailing list for Meals Matter, a nutrition and meal planning resource website supported by the Dairy Council of California. in the last mailing, a recipe for Lasagna Rolls was featured. i made a slightly modified version of these rolls for dinner tonight, using half of the tofu called for and adding ricotta to make up the rest of the amount. the Ronzoni whole wheat blend lasagna noodles i used were easy to work with. crushed red pepper flakes add a slight "spice bite" to the dish!

here's my version:

No-Bake Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls
Serves 6

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (Ronzoni brand)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and crumbled
3 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
7 oz ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives (6-7 olives)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 25-ounce jar roasted garlic pasta sauce (Ragu brand)
2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, return to the pot and cover with cold water until ready to use.

2 Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tofu and spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach wilts and the mixture is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in Parmesan, ricotta, olives, crushed red pepper, salt and 2/3 cup pasta sauce; mix well.

3 Wipe out the pan and spread 1 cup of the remaining pasta sauce in the bottom. To make lasagna rolls, place a noodle on a work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the tofu-cheese filling along it. Roll up and place the roll, seam-side down, in the pan. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling. Spoon the remaining pasta sauce over the rolls.

4 Place the pan over high heat, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; let simmer for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the rolls with mozzarella and cook, covered, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Abby the Alley Cat: staying safe from dairy!

2008-09-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

i wanted to share a book with you which was written by some very good friends of mine, Myronie & Sam McKee. if you have children, or know of children, with dairy allergies, you might want to purchase Abbey the Alley Cat for them. here is a description by the authors about the book:

As the parents of a fabulous little boy who also happens to have life-threatening food allergies, we wanted to write a book that would help children to stay safe from dairy, feel confident in real-life situations, and build their self-esteem as special kids. And that's how Abby the Alley Cat was born. We hope she helps your child stay safe and feel special!

ten percent of profits from the sale of this book will go towards helping children with food allergies.

watch the video book.

thai ginger chicken

2008-07-16T23:50:00.001-07:00

it's been a looonnnng time since my last post. maybe it was a new comment on one of my previous posts i received today that prompted me to post today's blog. i dunno. anyways, i tried this recipe which i culled from the April 2006 issue of Real Simple. although i felt the only thing "thai" about this dish was perhaps the coconut milk and the spicy jalapenos, and even though there wasn't really a strong ginger flavor to the dish, it is one that i would probably make again. at least my husband says he'd have it again :)

here's the original recipe:

Thai Ginger Chicken

1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 small eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch crosswise
2 13.5 ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 inch thick
2 cups cooked white rice

1 Place cilantro, jalapenos, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a food processor and pulse until combined.

2 Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and eggplant and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

3 Add the coconut milk, soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a simmer.

4 Add the reserved cilantro mixture, the remaining salt, and the chicken. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 7 minutes.

5 Serve over the rice.

my variation:

~ i used frozen chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts, heating the chicken tenders in my saucepan to basically thaw them out before cutting them into 1/2 inch pieces and adding them to the coconut milk mixture. not sure if i used exactly 1 pound of chicken, it was as many chicken tenders as my 13.5-inch saucepan could hold, about 12 pieces. and i used only 1 13.5oz can of coconut milk, which seemed to work with the rest of the ingredients.

~ i also used 2 small zucchini instead of the eggplant. and i served the chicken over brown rice. yum!

~ for vegetarians, i bet substituting tofu for the chicken would work, too!

p.s. this dish tasted even better the next day!

4.24.2009 update ~ more variations:

~ substitute Thai basil for cilantro

~ add 5 to 8 Tbsp green curry paste (depending on your desired spice level) to onions when sauteing

~ use 1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped, instead of eggplant or zucchini

omelettes - a new twist

2007-06-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

this is the most ingenious omelette i've ever seen! thanks to Heidi Swanson for posting her skinny omelettes recipe. she's got a great idea for baked eggs as well.

linguine with red swiss chard and Egyptian fennel

2007-05-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

lunch today was almost a disaster but thankfully the linguine tasted fine. but NOT the poached chicken.

i'm not sure if it was the limes or the herbs i used. the chicken was bitter! i think it's the herbs from Provence...no wonder my mother-in-law didn't want to keep this bottle of exotic sounding herbs. now one of my good friends thinks it's the limes. in any case, we won't talk about the chicken today.

as for the linguine, it was incorporated into a swiss chard recipe that i think came out of the Fields of Greens recipe book, which i don't own so i can't verify it now. this is how i remember cooking the chard.

Linguine with Red Swiss Chard and Egyptian Fennel

1 bunch red swiss chard, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Egyptian fennel
Spike seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
4 Tablespoons (or more) olive oil
linguine for 2 servings (I don't know exactly how much I used)

1 Cook linguine according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

2 Blanch swiss chard in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3 Saute garlic, carrots and fennel in olive oil with some salt until fennel is slightly brown. Add swiss chard and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Spike.

4 Add cooked linguine and stir, adding more salt to season the pasta.

5 Dish up and enjoy!

Nobu inspired

2007-05-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

inspired by Jaden's Steamy Kitchen and Rasa Malaysia's posts using Nobu-style miso marinades, i decided to try the marinade with tofu. i didn't have sake in my pantry so i substituted with rice wine, and used the miso that i had in my refrigerator.

i had a question about the miso i had because the label was all in Japanese. only the ingredients and nutritional information are in English, everything else on the label is in Japanese. if you click on the picture above, it will take you to my flickr photo post, which has more info on the product provided by one of my flickr/blog contacts, Blue Lotus. i know this is definitely not white miso, as you can see, and it's "chunky style":

i used extra firm Soga organic tofu for the first time today. bought it at Trader Joe's, 99 cents for a 15.5oz package. the tofu came in a twin pack, convenient for when you need a smaller portion.

i really liked the results of my adapted miso marinade for the tofu, which i broiled.

Broiled Tofu with Nobu-Inspired Miso

1/4 cup rice wine
1/4 cup mirin
4 Tablespoons miso paste
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 lb extra firm tofu
Green onion slices for garnish

1 Slice tofu into approximately 1/4-inch thick pieces. You should get about eight pieces. Lay tofu slices on a tray lined with paper towels to blot out some of the moisture.

2 Meanwhile, bring rice wine and mirin to a boil in a small pot, allowing alcohol to evaporate.

3 Over medium heat, add miso paste, one tablespoon at a time. Blend in with a wooden spatula.

4 When the miso mixture has blended in, turn up the heat and add sugar one tablespoon at a time, stirring to dissolve sugar before adding the next spoonful. Remove from heat.

5 Baste one side of tofu pieces with miso marinade. Broil on lower rack of toaster oven for 10 minutes (or less depending on your oven). Turn tofu pieces over and baste with additional miso marinade. Broil for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

6 Serve immediately, garnished with green onion slices.

i used the small amount of leftover miso marinade plus a dash of Bragg liquid aminos and a drizzle of sesame oil to season some soba noodles, mixed in some edamame, and topped off with green onion slices to accompany this wonderful broiled tofu.

my first horchata recipe

2007-05-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

i made my first attempt at making homemade horchata yesterday. using the recipes i posted this past weekend as a guide, i used whatever ingredients i had available in my pantry for this first try.

the result was a pleasant, refreshing drink, which my husband set his seal of approval on, except he said it was a little too sweet for him. i thought it was just right, definitely not as sweet as how they make it in the Mexican taquerias. you can reduce the amount of sugar to 6 Tablespoons if you like. the lime zest adds a very slight citrus undertone. here's my first recipe of horchata, using brown jasmine rice:

Horchata Arroz Marrón del Jazmín

1 cup brown jasmine rice
1/2 cup almonds, blanched and skinned*
1 teaspoon cinnamon (forgot I did not have cinnamon sticks!!!)
zest of 1 lime (I was too lazy to measure 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups water
1/2 cup sugar (about 7 Tablespoons)

*To skin almonds (method courtesy of The Food Section post):
Blanch almonds in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and discard water. When almonds are cool, squeeze between thumb and index finger. Almonds should squirt out of their skins.

Grind rice into fine powder using a coffee grinder. In a glass pitcher, combine ground rice, blanched almonds, cinnamon, lime zest, and vanilla extract with 3 cups of water. Cover and let sit overnight in refrigerator.

The next day, pour rice mixture into blender and puree until smooth, adding sugar and the remaining 3 cups of water. I did this in 3 batches. Strain the horchata into a pitcher using a strainer and cheesecloth. Press/squeeze cheesecloth to extract as much of the liquid as possible.

Put a couple of ice cubes in a glass, pour desired amount of horchata, enjoy! Refrigerate the rest to enjoy later.

whole wheat banana pancakes

2007-05-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

tall stack, anyone? made a batch of these pancakes today. the recipe is adapted from this excellent basic pancake recipe, which makes nice fluffy pancakes. i just added some whole-wheat flour and made the suggested banana variation. didn't use cinnamon this time, but have used it before and it tastes wonderful.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 egg
1 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 very ripe banana, mashed

1 stick butter to grease skillet (optional)

1 In a medium bowl, mix together with a wire whisk flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using).

2 In a 1-cup glass mixing cup, beat egg. Add milk and vegetable oil; mix well.

3 Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moist. Gently mix in mashed bananas. Let mixture rest 30 seconds. Pancake batter will rise and bubble.

4 Heat nonstick skillet on medium heat. (Rub butter stick lightly on skillet to grease, if you like.) Spoon 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto skillet, spreading batter to form four-inch pancakes.

5 When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, flip over and cook for 1-2 minutes until bottom is golden.

Makes about 8 four-inch pancakes.

this was the last bonus size pancake of the batch:

5 things you might not know about me

2007-05-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

i have been blog-tagged by my newest blog contact Jaden. blog-tagging is something rather new to me, and whilst i was reading up on this game of blogosphere, i even came across a Blog Tag Tree first started by Jeff Pulver.

well, here are 5 things about me unknown to most people:

1 i was a vegan for about 10 years in my young adult days. my mother calls me a "back-slidden vegetarian" now.

2 i have done some knitting, too. 2 projects i've managed to complete: a scarf and a dish rag.

3 i was once a college instructor at 三育基督學院, a Christian college in Taiwan. i spent 3 very rewarding school years there teaching music and office administration courses. looking back, i find it really hard myself to believe that i actually lectured in 國語. had to re-learn my Mandarin Chinese very quickly in order to communicate effectively with my students. i had studied Mandarin Chinese as a second language in school but never used it growing up. i can testify that total immersion in a language/culture really facilitates the language learning process!

4 my favorite ice popsicle flavor: tamarind

5 countries i've lived in: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, England, Taiwan, USA; countries i've visited: Indonesia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Japan, China, Hong Kong; countries i've stopped over: Russia, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates.

now i'm tagging some of my blog friends:

Manisha of Indian Food Rocks

Dr Stonielove

Amy of Blue Lotus

Deb of Smitten Kitchen

Amoret

horchata

2007-05-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite "Mexican" beverages is horchata (the other being Sangria Senorial). this post from Slashfood for Cinco de Mayo got me interested in how horchata is made. i never thought that it was actually made using raw rice. some recipes use cooked rice, but i think the raw rice method is more authentic. there's also horchata de chufas, made from tigernuts, but that's the Spanish version of horchata, which i'm not familiar with. horchata de arroz is what i'm talkin' 'bout here.

anyways, besides the recipe on Slashfood, i found two more that caught my interest. one is by Too Many Chefs, which led me to the post by The Food Section. here is a photo of the main ingredients that are used to make horchata, courtesy of The Food Section.

i'm going to pick up ingredients to make this wonderful beverage. my husband says i can use his coffee grinder to grind the rice, too!

matzo balls

2007-05-04T03:22:00.000-07:00

i made matzo balls for the first time last night with store-bought Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix. placed the cooked matzo balls in a vegetable chicken broth and they were yummy.

then i went online afterward to do some reading on what to do with leftover matzo balls and came across this really great post Cooking Live with Slashfood: Matzo Ball Soup. you know there are some posts that just make you want to read them because of the way they are written and laid out and photographed, etc. this one was one of them. great how-to post that i had to bookmark here for later use.

well, here are some ideas for leftover cooked matzo balls:

* slice the leftover matzo balls and fry in oil
* Coconut & Lime advises to store cooked matzo balls separately from broth so they don't soak up too much liquid and fall apart
* Gail Simmons says cooked matzo balls can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days
* Norene Gilletz shares her secret: matzo balls can be cooked in advance and frozen in chicken soup; or freeze them on a cookie sheet until firm then transfer to freezer bags and store in freezer, then reheat frozen matzo balls in soup when needed

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

2007-05-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

i recently received a recipe for jerk chicken from my friend Betty, which sparked my interest in researching about jerk seasonings. from a Wikipedia article i learned that jerk "is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meats (traditionally pork, but now including chicken, fish, beef and even tofu) are dry-rubbed with a fiery spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items: allspice (Jamaican Pimento) and Scotch Bonnet peppers (among the hottest peppers on the Scoville scale). other ingredients include cloves, cinnamon, scallions, Todd (elm cultivar), nutmeg, thyme, garlic, which is mixed together to form a marinade which is rubbed onto pork, chicken, or fish."

a search online led me to this recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chicken. i adapted the two recipes i had on hand and the result is pictured below:

a mildly tangy and spicy moist baked chicken dish, which i served over brown rice and accompanied with a green salad. i'd like to try a dry rub recipe next time to see which i prefer. and maybe use tofu instead. my adapted recipe follows.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt

JERK SEASONING
1 habanero pepper – seeded and chopped
(I used 1 tsp of crushed red pepper instead)
½ medium onion – finely chopped

2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground sage
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp garlic powder (or fresh garlic)
2 Tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup orange juice
juice of 1 lime

¼ cup olive oil

RELISH
1 small red onion – finely diced
1 small cucumber – peeled and finely diced
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Rinse chicken and pat dry. Trim off excess fat. With a sharp knife, make several slits in each piece of chicken. Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt and rub salt into chicken.

2 In a large bowl, combine allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic powder and brown sugar. Mix well with a wire whisk.

3 Combine cider vinegar, orange juice and lime juice in a measuring cup.

4 Slowly add the olive oil and vinegar juice mixture into the spices, whisking with a wire whisk. Add the habanero pepper and onion. Mix well.

5 Add the chicken breasts, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour in refrigerator, longer if possible.

6 Combine all relish ingredients and refrigerate.

7 Heat oven to 375˚. Place chicken in pyrex baking dish. Spoon some of the marinade on top of the chicken. Bake chicken 25 minutes or until fully cooked. (Or heat grill to medium-high, remove breasts from marinade and grill chicken 6 minutes each side or until fully cooked. Baste with marinade while grilling.)

8 Serve chicken with brown rice topped with relish. Accompany with green salad (romaine, cilantro, roma tomato, avocado, and lime juice vinaigrette).

Note: Habanero peppers (also known as Scotch Bonnet peppers) are the hottest of the capsicum peppers! Substitute Serranos or Thai Bird Chiles if you can't find them.

baked german apple pancake

2007-04-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

among the 11th Annual Webby Awards Honorees is this "social-networking site for people passionate about food" called BakeSpace. i thought i'd check them out and was browsing in the recipes section when i came across this recipe for S. Katz's Classic Baked German Apple Pancake. never seen anything like this before. it looks like a good one to try!

the GBVC

2007-04-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

what's the GBVC, you might ask? it's The Great Big Vegetable Challenge, which the creative Mum of Freddie embarked on to turn him from a vegetable-phobic boy to a vegetable-loving king. they are eating their way through an A-Z tour of vegetables. what a neat idea! interested in joining them in their adventures...?

meals matter...meal planning made simple online

2007-04-16T00:25:00.000-07:00

tonight i went online determined to download a menu planner to help me get organized with my meal planning so that i can start cooking healthy home-cooked meals more consistently and regularly. and i came across Meals Matter, which features free meal planning tools online...search recipes, contribute recipes, organize your personal cookbook online, find nutrition information, obtain personal nutrition planning information, etc. hosted by the Dairy Council of California, information is available in English and Spanish. i just signed up tonight. will evaluate later.

perfectly cooked eggs

2007-04-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

this past week, i've been helping to prepare an Agape Feast for our church and one of my tasks was to boil eggs. i have this "recipe" for hard-cooked eggs that i used. it's from the cookbook 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles.

Hard-Cooked Eggs
Makes: 8 perfectly cooked eggs; serves: 4 to 8

Everyone knows how to boil an egg, but as a food stylist, I learned (by asking my assistant to cook the eggs) that not everyone knows how to hard-cook an egg without getting the green ring around the yolk that indicates an overcooked egg.

8 eggs

1 Place the eggs in a 2-quart saucepan and add water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes.

2 Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Pour off hot water and add cold water to cover. Let cool; peel the eggs.

Variation: Easter eggs: Add food coloring and distilled white vinegar to the water before cooking the eggs.

[post edit/Apr 22 - was browsing the How to... links on Coconut & Lime and saw her post on How to Boil Perfect Eggs. her method is very similar to this one by Carol Gelles and promises to produce "hard boiled eggs with nearly centered yolks with no green edge." great for making deviled eggs.]

pecan meringue cookies

2007-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

i made a batch of Elise's Pecan Meringue Cookies last night, and this is the outcome. they are not as pretty as Elise's, but they don't taste too bad. even my husband, who isn't a fan of meringue, tried them and said they were good!

the cookies on the lower tray in the oven, however, turned out a little chewy in the middle. my post baking research tells me that my oven was probably too hot. my mistake was leaving the oven on for about 2 minutes after i had put the cookies in. i waited until the thermostat returned to 300 degrees before shutting it off.

also, my cookies look gritty and i'm not sure if it's a result of the pecans being ground too fine in my blender or that the sugar was not completely dissolved. [post edit/Apr 5 - i've conferred with Elise about the grittiness of the cookies and she agrees that the pecans should never have been pulverized in the blender; best to crush into small pieces. the meringue will probably hold up better, too.] in any case, this calls for another attempt to see if i can make them look more like the fluffy clouds i always think meringues should look like. i used a handheld mixer and it whipped up the egg whites nicely, but maybe i need to whip them a little longer...

the reader of Elise's Pavlova post who shared this recipe called these "Easter cookies" and they are supposed to be hollow when you bite into them, a good reminder of the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday after the resurrection!

Nora the Piano-Playing Cat

2007-03-29T11:40:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded at ifilm

Nora merchandise and news

yummy veges on broiled polenta

2007-03-21T01:11:00.000-07:00

found this roasted vegetables on polenta recipe by [gluten-free] goddess, it looks soooo good i had to bookmark it here for handy reference.

[Post Edit 3.26.2007]
made this for supper last night and even had leftovers for lunch today. i have never felt so good after a meal as i have after having this dish, sans the cheese since i forgot to get any. this is definitely on the top of my favorite recipes list! thanks again to Karina for sharing!

[Post Edit 4.29.2007]
found a similar recipe of oven roasted vegetables and polenta.

[Post Edit 7.5.2007]
tried a new pairing for these yummy roasted veges tonight: served over slices of crunchy "baked" potato slices - sliced potatoes, sprinkled with Spike All Purpose Seasoning and microwaved for 2 minutes (yes, they were still raw-crunchy). i loved it!

(枸杞) goji berry-orange cookies

2007-03-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

while surfing food blogs this evening, i came across an interesting vegan adaptation of this fluffy cranberry-orange cookie recipe. i knew i had goji berries (枸杞) in my fridge and had just bought a sack of whole wheat flour. so i went about mixing my own adaptation of this recipe with what ingredients i had available.

these cookies are not very sweet since the only sweetening in the cookie dough is maple syrup. so if you like a sweeter cookie, dipping them in a little sugar before baking adds a little sweetness to them. the cookies turned out light and fluffy, almost like a very light mini scone. they make a healthy snack.

Goji Berry-Orange Cookies

1 cup dried goji berries

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup sugar

1 Soak goji berries in hot water for 5 minutes.

2 While berries are soaking, mix flours, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

3 In a large bowl, mix maple syrup, butter, egg, orange juice and orange zest thoroughly.

4 Drain goji berries well.

5 Mix flour mixture gradually into maple syrup mixture, adding goji berries before the last batch of flour is mixed in.

6 Shape dough into small balls and flatten in your palm. Dip flattened cookie in sugar and place on ungreased non-stick cookie sheet. Cookies will puff up but not expand very much.

7 Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Cool on cookie rack and enjoy!

shepherd's pie

2007-03-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

i made shepherd's pie for the first time today. a vegetarian shepherd's pie. used this Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe from Simply Recipes and adapted it to make my vegetarian version.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

3 large potatoes
2 tablespoons butter (1/4 stick)
2 tablespoons milk

12 oz pkg Yves Veggie Ground Round Original
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup frozen petite peas
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons butter (1/4 stick)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Bragg liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used the water from boiling potatoes)
Salt and pepper to taste

1 Peel and cube potatoes, boil in salted water for about 10-12 minutes.

2 While potatoes are boiling, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a frying pan.

3 Saute onions and carrots in butter until tender over medium heat (about 10 minutes).

4 Add veggie ground round and cook till heated through. Add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid aminos (or soy sauce), salt and pepper to taste. Stir in vegetable broth. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add frozen peas and corn; cook until heated through. Add more broth to keep moist, if necessary.

5 Place the veggie ground mixture in a baking dish.

6 Mash potatoes with 2 tablespoons of butter and milk. Season to taste.

7 Spread mashed potatoes over veggie ground mixture. Score the potatoes using a fork, forming peaks that will brown nicely.

8 Bake in 400 degree oven until potato mixture is lightly browned (about 30 minutes). Broil the last 5 minutes if necessary to brown.

Makes 4 medium servings.

in search of the perfect scone

2007-03-04T00:37:00.000-08:00

well, my search for the perfect scone may just be over. i made a batch of cream scones tonight, only smaller bite-sized ones, and they are to die for!!! i used dried cranberries and added the zest of an orange. they are the lightest, fluffiest scones i've ever tasted, even though my photos don't look as dreamy-creamy as Smitten Kitchen's. thanks again, Deb, for posting this recipe.

i also made half a recipe of these buttermilk scones that i'd made before. i cut them into smaller triangles (about 3 inches long and 3/4 inch thick) and didn't bake them as brown this time (about 12-15 minutes). these buttermilk scones are not as light as the cream scones, but they aren't so bad themselves. good with some lemon curd and Devonshire cream, too!

then, i found these scones posted by Julia:

the recipe is here with measurements in metric. i will have to try this recipe to see if it makes a more perfect scone than those cream scones i made tonight.

[Post Edit March 18, 2007]

For more great information on scones, follow this blog's thread: In Search of the Perfect Scone.

And a discussion on the difference between scones and biscuits: Buttermilk Biscuits with Goat Cheese and Chives

dreamy creamy scone

2007-03-01T21:37:00.001-08:00

dreamy creamy scone
Originally uploaded by smitten.

had to blog this photo and recipe of Cream Scones from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook here for later use. thanks to Smitten Kitchen for sharing.

Rachmaninov had big hands

2007-02-26T17:13:00.000-08:00

a friend sent me a link to this music video on YouTube, it is just too funny!!! watch this Korean concert pianist (with small hands) playing Rachmaninov (who had big hands)...

Igudesman & Joo's website:
Igudesman & Joo in A Little NIGHTMARE Music

a guy's nightmare

2007-02-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

i found this really cute blog by stickgirl through a friend's blog.

pineapple-mint coleslaw

2007-01-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

i made one of my favorite versions of coleslaw today, which i have called pineapple-mint coleslaw. this recipe was inspired by a Vietnamese cole slaw recipe i found at Recipezaar. i added the pineapple and substituted ponzu sauce for the fish sauce. (Recipezaar has since published my recipe here, including nutrition facts.)

Pineapple-Mint Coleslaw

Dressing:
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (or mirin)
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
black pepper

Whisk the above ingredients together in a small bowl or 1-cup measuring glass; set aside for half an hour.

Salad Ingredients:
1 small head of green cabbage, shredded
8 stalks of mint, stalks removed and leaves chopped coarsely (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
1 20oz can of pineapple chunks, drain juice for other use, slice chunks into smaller chunks (or use pineapple tidbits)

While dressing is set aside to meld, combine shredded cabbage, mint leaves, and pineapple chunks in a large glass mixing bowl and toss gently.

When dressing is ready, pour over salad ingredients and gently mix. Add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Garnish with reserved mint leaves and serve.
___

i have made this coleslaw and refrigerated it overnight before taking it to a potluck. the cabbage and mint leaves will wilt slightly, but the coleslaw tastes great when the dressing has been allowed to meld with the salad ingredients.

ultimate turtle brownies

2007-01-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

doesn't this look decadent? i just had to bookmark this here for later use. check out the recipe here by Kitarra of Cooking Debauchery.

vote for Blue Lotus

2007-01-05T14:18:00.001-08:00

Favourite food of 2006
Originally uploaded by Blue Lotus.

Blue Lotus is one of my flickr.com contacts. she's a Canadian living in suburban Tokyo and has a great blog on Japanese food and culture accompanied by great photography. her blog has been nominated by Well Fed Network as 1 of 5 nominees in the Best Food Blog - City category. Visit Blue Lotus and vote here for her.

confetti latkes

2006-12-27T23:09:00.000-08:00

i was searching for gluten-free recipes and resources today when i came across this recipe for confetti latkes...a new twist on latkes, made with parsnips and carrots by Gluten-Free By the Bay. thought i'd "bookmark" it here for later use.

[post edit/May 3]

a Jewish recipe for potato latkes by words to eat by.

buttermilk scones

2006-12-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

i finally got a chance to try out this buttermilk scone recipe, blogged by my friend Cellissimo. it is yummy...light and flaky on the inside and a little crusty on the outside. what i liked most about it was the fact that it didn't have that aftertaste of baking soda that i always seem to get with store bought scones. i used alum free Rumford baking powder and Arm & Hammer baking soda for leavening. next time i make it, i'll use more lemon zest than i did today.

here's a closer up look at the flaky scones:

more good comics

2006-12-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

more good comics recommended by my friend Zenheart. This one's by Kazu Kibuishi of Bolt City.

comic artist

2006-12-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

this comic is by Erika Moen. i found out about her through my friend Zenheart. interesting sketches...

former SAUC and SDAS compound

2006-10-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

Location Map of This Spot

click on the link to zoom in on the spot where the former SAUC and SDAS campus was located. those were the two schools i attended in Singapore.

if you have Google Earth, enter the coordinates 1 20'10" N 103 52'10" E to see an aerial photo of the location.

tempura

2006-10-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

i made carrot, cauliflower, and zucchini tempura this afternoon for lunch using this recipe. batter was very light, a little too light than what i'd have liked it to be. i didn't take any pictures because i didn't think my tempura looked too great although it didn't taste too bad. and i don't think i'll make tempura again at home. i was tired after all that deep frying, and the apartment is still smelling like an Asian restaurant. plus all the cleanup and greasy feel on the kitchen floor...

i'll eat tempura, just not make it at home.

roast chicken

2006-10-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

babe roast chic 02
Originally uploaded by babe_kl.

a good roast chicken recipe to note.

more fancy mooncake

2006-10-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

i liked this collection of mooncakes so much i had to make a mosaic of them and blog it here. these pictures were posted by flickr.com member babe_kl. her blog is here. click on the image above to see links to the original photos.

jelly mooncakes

2006-10-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

today, i added masak-masak to my food blogroll. it was thru this blog that i learned about jelly mooncakes. the author made this longan jelly mooncake.

mooncakes

2006-10-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

月餅 (Vol.2) Mooncake
Originally uploaded by Eat-My-Heart-Out 你吃,我看.

it's that time of year again for mooncakes. while surveying several food blogs today, i learned about jelly mooncakes for the first time, and realized just how deprived i've been of these wonderful delicacies. above is a collection of mooncakes from one of my flickr.com contacts. aren't these just so yummy!!!

the elephant song - cool songs for kids by Eric Herman

2006-10-06T00:32:00.000-07:00

Song by Eric Herman. Via flagrantdisregard.

apple gorgonzola pizza

2006-09-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

this apple & gorgonzola pizza from Albion Cooks sounds like a yummy combination.

caramel apple cupcakes

2006-09-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by chockylit.

saw this interesting cupcake unlike any other i've seen before. see the recipe here and nicer, how-to pictures here.

mini sandwiches for snacking

2006-09-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

found another delicious-looking recipe i'd like to try some time - Caprese Mini Sandwiches featured on Simply Recipes by Elise Bauer.

well fed

2006-09-22T21:51:00.000-07:00

this zucchini fritter salad was featured on a new food blog Well Fed, which i discovered today. the writer is a freelance TV writer/story editor based in West Hollywood, CA.

potato pizzas

2006-09-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

i saw this recipe for potato pizzas on FatFree Vegan Kitchen and had to bookmark it here.

Trader Joe's fans

2006-09-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

i just discovered a Trader Joe's fan base through my flickr.com groups. here are some independent sites devoted to all things TJs:

Tracking Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's Fan

deep south sushi fusion

2006-09-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

a recipe post i found through Slashfood.com features a sushi with southern flare - sushi rice wrapped with collard greens and stuffed with smothered chicken and oven roasted okra. sounds interesting enough to bookmark here for later. incidentally, this was the site that led me to MediterrAsian.com (see my next blog post).

MediterrAsian.com

2006-09-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

i came across an interesting website this evening while on the internet - MediterrAsian.com - a site showcasing the health-giving benefits of the Mediterranean and the Asian diet and lifestyle. the site shares scientific research behind the secrets of the health and longevity enjoyed by people living in Mediterranean and Asian countries like Greece, Japan, Italy and China. they also give practical help like a 7-day menu plan and recipes, and links to other helpful resources.

Heaven on a plate - Kashmiri Pulao

2006-09-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

found this Kashmiri Pulao recipe by Archana Thomas of Spicyana and just had to bookmark it here for later use.

fd's Flickr Toys

2006-09-03T00:48:00.000-07:00

i've been having fun with fd's Flickr Toys lately and this is my latest creation:

Happy BlogDay 2006!

2006-08-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

just found out that today is BlogDay!

new in the fondue pot

2006-08-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

i tried to make cheese fondue today and my cheese sauce ended up all gritty. so i logged onto several discussion forums to seek an explanation. i learned that i probably had the heat too high so the cheese elements "separate."

i found an insightful article entitled Curdle Hurdles on why cheese "curdles" at high temperatures.

and a Swiss cheese fondue recipe with some interesting fondue factoids.

Indian food rocks

2006-08-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

i totally agree!!! found this blog Indian Food Rocks while surveying my blog links, and just had to make mention. great recipes, too! i'm very keen on trying the Spicy Jeera Chicken some time.

more bento love

2006-08-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

i've been trying to get inspiration to make more homecooked food, and my latest interest/obsession is finding personal bento sites. love the pictures and the creativity.

Bento Corner
cafelait1's bento photos
veggiekitty's bento photos

Vegan Lunch Box

2006-07-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

Slashfood is constantly linking me to great sites, and i had to mention this food blog Vegan Lunch Box, which is now linked to my blog. Jennifer, the author of this blog, features the lunch box meals she packs for her kid using Laptop Lunch Boxes.

Jennifer has also created The Magical Loaf Studio, a very clever vegan loaf generator for those of you who are into making dinner loaves.

i was a vegan for about 12 years, and even though i don't practice veganism "religiously" any more, i still think a meat-free diet is a healthier way of life.

Cooking Cute - Bento Love

2006-07-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

i came across this Cooking Cute bento food blog and just had to add it to my links of Food Blogs to Note.

when i was in school, my mom packed our lunches in these tiffin carriers. not as fancy as bento boxes, but they ensured we had wholesome, homecooked food.

Gilroy Garlic Festival

2006-07-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

i volunteered for the first time at the Gilroy Garlic Festival today. my volunteer name tag said i was a garlic bread chef. i was actually assigned as a "runner" between the grilling ovens, where the french bread was toasted, and the "garlic butter smearing" station (not sure what to call it), where the toasted bread was smeared with that tasty garlic butter and cut up before serving. i'm not sure how many runs i made between the two stations, the distance between them being about 50 meters, the length of an olympic size swimming pool. all i know is that my feet are sore from standing and walking since 1:45pm till we were done at about 7pm. i got to take a few potty breaks and refreshment breaks. there was a "rain room" set up where misters sprayed cool mists of water under a canopy and cooled us down. i had a fun time chatting with fellow volunteers while working.

wish i had pictures of my own to post, but my hands were occupied delivering bread to the buttering station. you can check out KSBW's news coverage of the event at:
http://www.theksbwchannel.com/news/9591261/detail.html
you'll see the garlic bread buttering station in the video, and also the Pyro Chefs stirring up flames at the garlic scampi station.

more latte art

2006-07-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

Mocha poured by Bob
Originally uploaded by tonx.

click on the photo to view more magnificent latte art photographed by tonx

piggy latte art

2006-07-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

P4280011
Originally uploaded by DBTabasco.

this piggy latte photo is dedicated to my friend Jewels

Latte Art

2006-07-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

Latte Art
Originally uploaded by Hayley999.

my latest obsession...looking at latte art on flickr.com

flip desserts

2006-07-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Fruit is the main, dessert is the garnish

Ice Spoons - Slashfood

2006-07-21T01:13:00.000-07:00

was searching for iced tea spoons on the net when i came across this neat food gadget:

http://www.slashfood.com/2006/07/09/ice-spoons/

D.I.Y Ice Kachang

2006-07-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

D.I.Y Ice Kachang
Originally uploaded by Kewlz Kid.

sparkly ice kachang

2006-07-18T23:03:00.000-07:00

Ice Kachang
Originally uploaded by lithium_f1ower.

another version of ice kachang in Singapore

Japanese version of ice kachang?

2006-07-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

digging in
Originally uploaded by varf.

looks refreshing....it's got green tea!

more shaved ice dessert photos

2006-07-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

Asian Shaved Ice (Vol.1)
Originally uploaded by Eat-My-Heart-Out 你吃,我看.

ice kachang, Singapore

2006-07-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

ice kachang, Singapore
Originally uploaded by superlocal.

mannn...i would do just about anything to get my face in this dish of ice kachang now!

水餃子

2006-07-17T00:40:00.000-07:00

水餃子
Originally uploaded by Blue Lotus.

more good food...i've been "colliding" into food blogs and pictures lately...watching a lot of food network tv a lot, too....is that why?

this is a yummy picture of homemade 餃子

Indonesia Restaurant

2006-07-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

saw this blog with a review of Indonesia Restaurant in San Francisco:
http://onokinegrindz.typepad.com/ono_kine_grindz/2005/06/indonesia_resta.html

Indonesia Restaurant
678-680 Post Street
San Francisco, California
Telephone: 415.474.4026

must try it out some time.

men style

2006-07-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

good friends

2006-07-05T01:15:00.000-07:00

today...well, i guess it was yesterday already...i got to spend some time with former classmate friends, Darlene and Andrea, at Church on the Hill's Spirit of America 2006 4th of July celebrations. we listened to the various bands, enjoyed good food, and oohed and aahed at the grand fireworks display. mostly i enjoyed hanging out with my old friends.

today, i had a unique experience with ice cream...
my first encounter with dippindots http://dippindots.com/
here are the locations near me http://www.dippindots.com/locations_detail.asp

also, i've had a new web experience setting up MySpace at http://myspace.com/missuspie
check out MySpace some time.

reminiscing Newbold days

2006-03-05T23:31:00.000-08:00

yesterday evening after Winterfest rehearsal, Darlene and I went to a new pearl tea place at San Antonio Shopping Center called Pearl Cafe. we both had their hot jasmine pearl tea. it was gooood...with very nicely steamed milk, too! cozy place...and free wifi. check out review on yelp.com

we hung out at the cafe and chatted for some time before going back to her place to use the loo...talking about Newbold just activated the British vocab all over again! ha! and of course we looked at some Newbold pix.

snow...

2006-02-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

yesterday and this morning, too, we had snow on the east hills. such a beautiful sight to behold as i was driving to church in the morning. snow just makes me go into a state of awe and wonder... maybe i wouldn't feel that way about it if i had to scrape it off my windshield in the morning, or shovel it off my driveway!!!

cool blogspot

2006-01-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

saw this blogspot today....gotta check it out later:

http://sbabycakesx.blogspot.com

remedies for colds and "gan mao"

2006-01-05T01:02:00.000-08:00

today, my students shared some cold remedies with me...

beat an egg, stir in boiling water
mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with honey
stir lemon-honey mixture into egg mixture and imbibe

here's another...
place 1/2 luo han guo, handful of northern chinese almonds (bei xin), a small bunch of dried bok choy, chicken bones/breast in pot with 4-5 bowls of water. stew for 2 hours.

i tried the above; it doesn't taste bad at all...in fact, reminded me of Brand's Essence of Chicken. let's see if this really works.

happy new year!

2006-01-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

happy new year, blogspot!

today, i raked the pine needles and other muck off our sloping driveway. came home from class, stopped at the bottom of the driveway to pick up the mail, and spun some wheelies trying to start up the hill. so i decided it was a good idea to get the rake out. i was out there at about 4:30pm and it was a little nippy...but it felt good to be outdoors, exercising, breathing in the fresh, crisp, rainwashed air...inhaling the fresh scent of pine needles. i actually filled up the sticks and twigs bin!

tsunami & thanks

2005-01-03T23:15:00.000-08:00

at our new year's eve communion, i thanked God that my family in Singapore have not suffered from the devastation of the recent tsunami.

Starbucks...highest elevation

2004-12-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

Korea has a 5-storey Starbucks

and highest elevation Starbucks is in Colorado!

kron4.com report

live a life less ordinary...carman leaf

2004-12-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

on Dr Phil this morning Kron 4
a band 10 yrs in the making, now recorded by Vanguard Records....but i can't find them online!

Cuban Voluminous Dancers....?

2004-12-03T14:01:00.000-08:00

was it on KKIQ or NPR i heard about them....research later, lah

tax helponline

2004-11-25T04:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.taxhelponline.com
Dan Pilla's Confidential Tax Bulletin
PO Box 3159
Fredericksburg, VA 22402-3159

HTML and forums stuff

2004-11-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

thought i'd better blog it here, else so hard to find my links with all my other different "pages"...

http://www.pagetutor.com/pagetutor/makapage/quik-index.html

http://www.anvari.org/guestbook/20040102.070843.html

lucky bamboo

2004-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

just watered my lucky bamboo. poor thing.... i didn't know that it thrives in water.

got tips from this very informative and useful site: http://www.wmorientalconcepts.com/Luckybamboo.htm

some music links to note...

2004-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Some Children See Him
http://members.tripod.com/~rosemck1/some-children-see-him.html http://www.turtlecreek.org/music/linerpages/aroaminholiday.htm

The Hymns and Carols of Christmas
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/

Kids' Corner
http://members.tripod.com/~rosemck1/kids-corner.html

Alfred Burt Carols official site

http://www.alfredburtcarols.com/

great music & sounds

2004-11-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

listened to NPR on 88.5FM tonite while driving to Lillian's...they had some great stuff on t'nite...

Billy something or other (Taylor?), doing Christian music in country style. Pie tuned in as we were about to leave the parking lot of Chevy's Almaden.
Francis Ford Coppola and the Lost & Found Sound series http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/
Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1182855
Mohawk Ironworkers http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1145947
http://www.npr.org/about/press/020619.mohawk.html

edgy > > >

2004-11-17T16:48:00.000-08:00

i've just been so edgy today, so much energy and trying to focus and not be ADD. as i told Pie last night, two benefits of being in this hyper state--i get 2 c's--creativity and confidence.

stayed an additional 1/2 hr at OICW this morning. got to chat with a few more students and get to know them. met Carlina, Cathy, Kelly, and Cynthia. also made a simple seating chart on Excel to help me remember who's all that's there.

my honey sent me an email and signed it off, "gently and tenderly". he really knows how to love me the way i like being loved. i am sooooo in love with him! mmmmm.....

dinyahloreng: be a native speaker

2004-11-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

check this link out: a blog on language use....how fun!!!

Dinyahloreng: Be a Native Speaker

a new adventure...

2004-11-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

i've been wanting to do this for a while... Lilibeth's new blog site at xanga.com inspired me today ;-) but i also remembered Ita's introducing me to blogger.com some time ago. Steve & Eileen Kong's website with their php forum also gave me this idea... i want to document my wonderful life with my sweetheart, Mister Pie, and what's in store for us in the days, months and years to come. i love you, my sweet!!!

let's see if blogger.com lets me do this satisfactorily...

this morning, it was foggy and visibility was poor when i drove my car to W&K for an oil change. but the sun has come out and it's going to be another beautiful autumn day in northern california....