Monday, February 15, 2010
Why choose? Indulge. Have both. This IS America.
I admit I’m not much of a cookie decorator. I have no drawing/royal icing piping skills like other bloggers I know. *cough Susan cough* But I think my “love” cookies turned out pretty darn cute. Granted I had a little help from my embossing cookie cutters but let’s just keep that on the down low. Right now my MIL is quite impressed with me. And I’d like to keep it that way. Remember I’m not giving her grandkids. I gotta take the compliments where I can get them. HA!
I found my Wilton Heart Embossed Cookie Cutters last year at my local cake store in the After-Valentines sale bargain bin *fist pump* and I’ve been itching to use it ever since. No not that kind of itch. I took care of that already. Antibiotics rock! I KID I KID! I better just clarify “joke” before people start turning down my invitations for home cooked dinners and desserts.
If you can’t find it in the bargain bin like me, you can also buy it (here) or (here).
Also if you’re curious. The cupcakes are a Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Chambord Buttercream. And yes. It really was as good as the name sounds. You can find the recipe (here).
Happy (belated) Valentines Day, readers.
Hope you made yourself sick eating a whole box of Sees chocolates and puked on your 2 dozen red roses. Or was that just me? *clutching tummy*
Valentines Sugar Cookies
Recipe from Cookies by Martha Stewart
Makes about 2 dozen 4 inch cookies
Ingredients:
For sugar cookies
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (extra for dusting)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temp
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
For royal icing
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
5 tbsp meringue powder
Scant 1/2 cup water*
food coloring gel
* Scant means "just barely" so not quite the full 1/2 cup of water
sanding sugar, garnish
Instructions:
TO MAKE COOKIES
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, fitted with the flat beater, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture. Divide dough in half and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325F spacing oven racks in the upper and lower thirds. Work with one dough disk at a time. Let disk stand at room temperature for 10 minutes until soft enough to roll. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Add more flour to surface as needed so dough doesn't stick. Cut out cookies with cutters and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet (I used my Silpat). Chill cookies in freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Collect scraps and repeat process to cut more cookies.
Bake until edges just turn brown about 15-18 minutes. Switch the position of baking sheets on the oven racks halfway through. Let cool before decorating.
TO MAKE ROYAL ICING
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix on low speed with a hand mixer until smooth, about 5-7 minutes. If icing is too thick, add more water. If icing is too thin, slowly add more powdered sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Use immediately.
TO DECORATE COOKIES
Divide the royal icing into as many bowls as the number of colors. Tint icing with food coloring gel. Decorate with a piping bag+favorite small round tip.
ENJOY!
Husband rating: A
He ate more than 1 cookie but I know the only cookie that ever gets an “A+” grading has some kind of peanut butter in it. So predictable.
Wifey rating: A+
Martha knows her cookie dough. I think this is my go-to sugar cookie right now. Easy to work with and tasted even better on the second day. Makes me wish I hadn’t halved the recipe.
Other rating: A/A+
I shared these cookies with family and all gave me great reviews. The cookies were soft and had great flavor. Hubs’ mom even asked me for the recipe!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Warning! Foodie guilty pleasure admission. *deep breath*
I like Chinese take out.
I’m talking greasy, sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long, comes in a styrofoam box Chinese food. I think Hubs and I eat at our favorite Chinese place like 1x a week when Wifey (thats me!) is too lazy busy to cook b/c she’s working on plans to take over the world.
Whew! Glad I got that off my chest.
Last night I was craving sweet and sour pork but really didn’t wanna get in my car and drive anywhere. Now that is lazy folks! Too lazy to drive to have someone else cook for me. But then it hit me. There it was on the counter. Just calling at me. The Steamy Kitchen by Jaden Hair.
*light bulb*
Please oh please have sweet and sour pork recipe, I thought while flipping through the book. And there it was. I suddenly heard mini finger violins. Sweet and sour chicken. Not pork but I’ll live. My husband likes chicken better anyways. Healthier too right?
I served with brown rice and diet cokes. Mmm…
Who remembers the old Coca Cola slogan?? ♪♫“I’d like to buy the World a Coke.”♪♫
Someone better speak up before I start feeling old. And now who has it stuck in their head?
Sing it with me now.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Recipe from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 egg white
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks (I used 2 frozen chicken breasts, thawed)
1-10oz can pineapple juice, reserve juice (I used 1-8.25oz can)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2-3 tbsp brown sugar (I used 3 tbsp)
2 tbsp high heat cooking oil (I used peanut oil)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
2 stalks green onion, chopped, garnish
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine egg white, cornstarch and 1/4 tsp salt. Add chicken chunks and coat evenly with egg white mixture. Set aside. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
While chicken is "marinating", whisk together 1/4 cup pineapple juice, ginger, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and last 1/4 tsp salt.
Set up a large saute pan or wok over high heat. (I used a pan.) When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact, add 1 tbsp of oil and swirl to coat pan. Throw in the red and yellow bell peppers and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan or wok and set aside in a small bowl. Wipe the pan down with paper towel. (Be careful! It's hot!)
Return the pan to stove on high heat. Do the water drop test again before adding 1 tbsp of oil and swirl to coat pan. Add chicken chunks so they are flat in a single layer and let fry untouched for 1 minute. Flip and fry the other side for an additional 1 minute. The chicken will still be slightly pink in the middle.
Return the cooked bell peppers to the pan, add pineapple chunks and pineapple juice mixture and let simmer for 1-2 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
ENJOY!
Husband rating: A+
He’s not a fan of bell peppers. He’s more of a broccoli or asparagus man but he raved about this dish. He loved how juicy and tender the chicken was with the sauce and peppers.
Wifey rating: A+
So FRIGGIN good. It’s not like take out where the sweet and sour sauce is usually very thick and sickening sweet (which I love but it can’t be good for your arteries). I agree with Hubs. The chicken is tender and juicy. Yum! I have a feeling we won’t be getting Chinese take out as often now.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I’m thankful I don’t have any 16 year olds.
Confused? Lemme back up.
Most readers know that my Hubs is a teacher. Have I ever mentioned what he teaches? He’s the Advance Placement (AP) US History Teacher. The kids fondly call his class APUSH. (I’m a sucker for acronyms.) One of his many teacher duties include organizing the Junior Field Trip every year. And he stresses over it for weeks/months before. It’s not as easy as it sounds. You try to get X amount of students to pay $X by a deadline. Like pulling teeth.
Last year he had 80+ students and 9 chaperones.
This year he had 51 students and 3 chaperones.
My how the economy has changed things. :(
I was one of the 3 chaperones this year. Usually I don’t go on the trip. It’s my weekend off Husband duty. I order take out Thai food, read a book, go shopping, leave the bed unmade etc. It’s the best weekend of the year. Besides Xmas and Thanksgiving. But 2 chaperones canceled at the last minute and he BEGGED me to go or the trip would have to be canceled. How could I say no to 50 sixteen year olds (and my Hubs’ promise to take me out to any restaurant I wanted when we got back)? Of course I said yes. For the kids… *wink*
So we woke up at 4am *yawn* on Friday and headed out.
Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA. Get a load at the indoor pool. The outdoor pool was even more impressive so the indoor one became more of the servants’ pool. Great way to relax after cleaning the 41 bathrooms, huh?
Hearst Castle dining room. I’m still trying to figure out if Hearst+VIP guests (which included Charlie Chaplin) really ate ketchup or is that just a tour prop?
Elephant Seal Beach in San Simeon, CA. Appropriately name, eh?
Elephant Seal Beach. Trust me. It smelled like elephants too. While I was there I figured out I can only hold my breath for about 5 secs though.
Elephant Seal Beach. We even saw a couple seals fight. It was crazy how they charged each other. They were amazingly fast gyrating across the sand with all that blubber.
Dutra Berry Farm in Watsonville, CA. Unfortunately all the plants were dormant so no free berry picking child labor this year but I did happen to find 1 lonely little berry trying to come out and play.
Gizdich Apple Farm in Watsonville, CA. We saw apple juice being made from apple to bottle but I only had eyes for the pie shop.
Gizdich Apple Farm. Best apple pie I’ve ever had. EVER.
Gizdich Apple Farm. Some kids were brave enough to taste the apple pulp bin. Fiberlicious!
Steinbeck Museum in Salinas, CA. I’m not a big John Steinbeck reader but I can appreciate his passion for his city. Unfortunately most students ranked this on their survey after the fieldtrip as their least favorite place. Personally I think it was b/c you could do it in less than an hour and we stayed there for 2 hours. I guess our tour guide forgot that the attention span of a 16 year old isn’t very long if there’s no explosions. HA!
UC Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA. We split the kids up into 4 groups and my group’s tour guide was Bo. All the girls thought he was dreamy. But the funniest moment was when he was telling us about the campus library (pictured above) and how the Grateful Dead had donated all their memorabilia to the school and one girl raised her hand and said “Who’s the Grateful Dead?” The jaw drop and shock on his face was priceless. “You don’t know the Grateful Dead? What are they teaching you at school?” Now he knows how my Husband felt when he mentioned Marty McFly in class and all his kids had a dead stare on their face. He came home that day and said “Honey I feel old. They didn’t know Marty.”
UC Santa Cruz. At the top of a steep hill, called Cardiac Hill, there is a wall of painted murals. This one was my favorite. I concur on the hill’s namesake. I was sweating bullets by the time we got to the top. I can see why Santa Cruz is the fittest college.
UC Santa Cruz. The mascot is the Banana Slug. This is what happens when you let the students pick. At least it wasn’t a Turd Sandwich right? So our kids were WAY excited to find a banana slug during the campus tour.
Point Lobos in Carmel, CA. This state marine reserve is gorgeous. The ocean views were amazing on the highest point.
Point Lobos. I think I took about 20 shots of the same picture.
Point Lobos. We split the kids into 3 groups of 17 and I love this shot of my group taking pictures from the top of the cliff. If my memory serves me right. Our tour guide was pointing out the sea otter in the water below. ButI missed it. Slippery sucker swam away too fast!
Cannery Row in Monterey, CA. I wish we had more time to shop although I did make time for a ice cream sundae at Ghiradellis. I have priorities.
Monterey Aquarium in Monterey, CA. It was smaller than I thought. You could probably do the whole thing in 2 hours. This is my favorite shot of the jellyfish.
Monterey Aquarium. One fish. 2 fish. Yellow Fish. Blue Fish.
Monterey Aquarium. “Do these stripes make me look fat?”
Overall I had a great time. Would I do it again next year? Definitely! Why am I thankful I don’t have 16 years old then? After the long weekend, those kids wiped me out. Three days was enough for me. I was happy to send them back to their parents come Sunday.
Can you tell I’m gonna love being an Aunt? HA HA
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
It seems every blogger knows what “Wordless Wednesday” is but for the newbs out there it’s basically when you get too lazy write anything (been there done that) and post only pictures in your blog. Preferably on a Wednesday. Hence the Wednesday part. Derrr! But there’s no way that I can post pics of my newborn identical twin nieces, Allison and Whitney, without getting a little… ok ALOT… wordy.
They were born January 30, 2010 at 4:01pm by emergency C-section. I can already tell they are going to be party girls (Be prepared BIL!) b/c they weren’t expected until end of March but decided to join the party on the day my SIL’s second baby shower was scheduled.
I actually haven’t been able to see them in real life yet. They are currently hooked up to a bazillion machines in the NICU where the rule is parents and grandparents ONLY. But you know what I say? Rules are meant to be broken! Let me in DAMMIT! I could pass as the grandma. Us, Asians age well. *snort* So right now all I have are pictures until they are strong enough to come home. We’re crossing our fingers that Hubs will get an early birthday present and he can hold both his nieces by the end of February.
Allison – She’s older by a 2 minutes (I think?). My MIL says she keeps yanking out her feeding tube. I think we know who’s gonna be the troublemaker in the pair. HA!
Whitney – My FIL says she always has her eyes wide open looking at you. See how she’s looking right at my MIL? Intense eyes.
Whitney – My MIL says that NICU is a really busy place so there’s always someone going in and out, babies crying, nurses talking etc. Doesn’t it look like she’s saying… “Shut up! I can’t hear myself think in here.”
Allison – Baby smile. All together now… Aaaawww…
You know what I think is interesting? People have told me that as soon as I see my nieces it might spark a little maternal instinct in me. Something that I’ve been adamant I don’t have. Now I would be lying if I said it didn’t give me a little flutter when I saw their pictures for the first time but I still don’t get that intense drive to procreate that friends tell me about experiencing.
Although what I can tell you is… I can’t wait to hold my nieces someday and I can already tell I’m going to spoil them rotten. Isn’t that what favorite aunties are suppose do? *wide grin*
I’m thinking miniature ponies for their first birthday. Every little girl needs her own pony. Oh… and pink cowboy boots too. That’s definitely a must!
* All photos courtesy of my Father-in-law aka Proud Grandpa.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
:: NEED ::
(image via Pare*Umbrella)
:: WANT ::
(image via The Look 4 Less)
:: HAVE ::
(image via Amazon)
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