Joy of Gardening

For Mother's day, my sweet husband and kiddos made me a planter box with few different herbs and a sprout of eggplant. After two months of nurturing, a little eggplant is coming our way. =) How exciting!!!

I used to think gardening is too much work for me, I told my husband that he would be in charge of gardening, bringing in the harvest then I will cook them. After watching my eggplant grew, I think I'm in for another "hobby". I am looking forward to plant more eggplants, more herbs and some strawberry next year.

Pressure Cooker

I have always wanted to try using a pressure cooker,  but I wasn't ready to spend a hundred dollar just to see if I like it. I was at Macy's few weeks ago and came across this casa pressure cooker for $19.99, I just couldn't talk myself out of buying it. =)

Looking at the instruction, it can pretty much pressure cook anything from veggies to meat or seafood, but when I searched for recipes on the internet, there is not much out there that I like.I guess I just have to come up with my own pressure cooker recipes.
I made curry brisket (咖哩炆牛腩) in my pressure cooker the night before Halloween, actually I was preparing it for halloween night. I knew with the kids going trick or treating and trick or treaters coming to my house, I would have no time for making a meal. It just worked out perfectly! After a night, the favor were even better, it was a big hit with my family!

Curry Brisket 咖哩炆牛腩
2lbs Beef Brisket (I got mine at a Chinese market, I don't know if the regular brisket would work the same.)
1/2 bag baby carrot
1 large onion (big chunk)
3 small shallots
3tbsp curry powder
1/4 c coconut milk
1/4c evaporated milk
3/4c water
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil (enough to cover the brisket), put in the brisket and let it boil for about 5-10 mins, wash brisket under cold water then cut into big chunks.
Heat up pressure cooker on high heat, put in 2tbsp oil to heat up then add curry powder and shallots. Put in the carrot, onion and meat chunks after you can smell the curry. Cook for couple mins then put in the liquid and seasonings. Put pressure cooker lid on and wait for the steam to raise, lower heat to low and cook for 30-45 mins.
For the best result, cook it the day before you plan to eat and let the favor marry together. Reheat on stove and add more seasoning if need.

Let me know if you have your favorite pressure cooker recipe, I would love to try it.

A Sudden Interest

I was at the library last week with the kids for story time, and saw a book that caught my eye. I usually don't read books but since Jathan is in school now and we have been encouraging him to read, I thought I should be a good example as well.

I'm sure some of you have read it or at least heard of it. I'm almost half way through now, and amazed with what those FLDS women put up with in that culture. I knew they have been brain wash since they are young, but seriously! who in their right mind would think what they are doing is right, it's god's will.
I just so very grateful to have the true gospel in my life. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy; he wants me to experience love, and have the freedom to choose what I want. In coming May, Jeff and I will be married for 10 years. I can't tell you everything is fine in our marriage but at least we both have the same goal, and willing to work on our differences. I'm lucky to have a husband who loves and respects me and the children, also try really hard to make us happy.
For the women or girls are still in the cult, I want to say "GET OUT! There are better lives for you!"

You say GROSS, I say YUM!!

There are a lot of things that I eat that most American thinks it's nauseating, like chicken feet, tripe, stuffs like that. Maybe this is not as gross as some of the others.

It's just an egg, all the chinese love them(at least the chinese I know). It's a perserved duck egg. I know it's black and you might think it's gross looking, but it's very yummy to me! =)
My friend Lydia, showed me a dish recently that I can't get enough of. It have two ingredients that most American dislike. 1.) Perserved duck egg; 2) Tofu. Haha!! I'm going to share the recipe and I dare you to try it!

Preserved Duck Eggs with Tofu
1 14 oz. box of silken tofu
2 preserved duck eggs
1 tbsp chili soy paste
1 tsp. sesame oil
1tbsp chopped green onion
shredded dry pork (optional)

Drain tofu and cut into small cubes, place it on a serving plate. Cube eggs and place on top, add soy sauce and sesame oil, last but not least chopped green onions and shredded dry pork on top.
Enjoy!

Life never go the way we planned!

After a year of student life with two kids, we thought life will get better with a more stable career, who knew that it wasn't what Heavenly Father has in stored for us. Now Jeff is too old for being an air traffic controller, he decided he is going to get his BS in aviation administration at UVU starting this fall.
Not only we are going to we are going to be dirt poor for the next two years, we also have to feed one more little person. =) Yup, we are expecting baby no.3. Even though life is not going the way we planned, we are still very grateful for the blessing that came our way.

ultrasound taken@ week 7

Spam musubi

Unlike most people, I like spam. I don't eat them a lot but I always have couple cans in my pantry. I remember whenever my mom needed a quick, easy meal; spam was always on the menu. I know some people think Spam is such a disgusting food. Why is that??? Here people eat hot dog, bologna and think that spam is gross, I don't get that at all, What is the different between them? They are all processed meat! So if you eat hot dog or bologna, I will ask you to give spam a try. 

I made some spam musubis for lunch, the kid loved it and I was very satisfied. It is very easy to make and so yummy. Give it a try! You might like it.

 

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
2 cups water
4 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
1 (12 ounce) container fully cooked luncheon meat (e.g. Spam)
5 sheets sushi nori (dry seaweed)
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. Soak uncooked rice for half an hours; drain and rinse, then cook it in the rice cooker.
2. When the rice is done, let it rest and cool down for 15 mins, then stir in rice vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar until mix well.
3. Slice spam lengthwise into 10 slices, or to desired thickness, and pan fry them about 2 mins per side or lightly browned. Cut nori sheets in half and lay on a flat work surface. Place a rice press in the center of the sheet, and press rice tightly inside. Top with a slice of luncheon meat, and remove press. Wrap nori around rice mold, sealing edges with a small amount of water. (Rice may also be formed by hand in the shape of the meat slices, 1 inch thick.)
4. Musubi may be served warm or chilled.

New Favorite Hair Do For ME!!

I love trying new hair do's on my little girl, and she looks cute with everything of course, on the other hand, I have hard time finding hair do's that look good on me. I watched these video few days ago and thought it might look cute on me.
Today, it was 9th wedding anniversary for me and my hubby. I decided to try this DO and LOVE IT!!!

Here is the final product.

Close up on the braid.

 Trying to look HOT! Ha!Ha! 

What do you think?