That morning, I woke up fairly early (8:30am – that’s early for me, although lately, it’s been the norm). It was one of those days where I didn’t really want to get out of my jammies, so I texted Cher, who shares the same PJ-all-day-everyday-unless-you-have-somewhere-to-go sentiment. You may remember I did a photo shoot with her family in their PJs last year.

We had planned for her to come at 11:00, which initially, I thought we would have lunch. However, I must have been on crack because everyone is still asleep except Benz and me.

That’s Dick sleeping on Louise’s bed and under the covers.

Plus, most days, our family doesn’t even usually have breakfast until around 11-12. So, I told Cher to not eat breakfast and that we would have a Persian breakfast at my house.

As planned, Cher arrives and in her PJs.

Perfect. I’m so happy to be able to stay in mine.

How you like my piggy slippers? They keep me warm in the winter.

Look at my girls, messing with Benz again.

BREAKFAST

I heat up the pot for tea, using the beautiful teapot my mom got for me when she was in Vietnam.

I make the eggs…Persian omelet.

And voila!

Persian omelet, pita bread, sliced cucumber and tomatoes, feta cheese, walnuts, almonds, and fresh basil.

Everyone is awake and ready to eat.

LAST TIME CHER WAS AT MY HOUSE

The last time she was at my house, Benz was only about a month old.

Cher adores babies, which is why she has 5 kids (3 of which are adopted).

Now, 5-6 months later and look how he’s changed.

Breakfast was great and we had an awesome time just chillaxing.

I love my girl Cher cause she’s one of the most honest and down to earth people I know.

Thanks for driving out of your bubble to come to mine so we could hang!!

-Jane, Friend of Cher.

Louise wanted to make the Sweet Potato Casserole.

And Thelma was making an apple pie for my girl June Cleaver and her kids.

Thelma and Louise learned how to make apple pie in their co-op cooking class.

Louise was then done with her sweet potato casserole so she decided to help Thelma cut the apples.

I love that they are working so nicely together instead of bickering like they have been!

I had asked Thelma if she was sure of the recipe amounts because I didn’t see any instructions or paper stating the amounts and ingredients. I don’t bake hardly at all but I know that with baking, you can’t just wing it like I usually do with savory foods. The measurements are pretty specific.

She looked a little unsure but then assured me she had memorized the steps and ingredients. Okay! Do yo thang girl.

I couldn’t find my brush so that she could brush on the egg wash so I told her just use a paper towel. That’s called improvising. LOL

They’re for me AND baby!!

What?? They’re mini’s!!

And yes, WE did eat them all.

-Jane, Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Lover.

(In Dick’s defense, he and the girls already had given me a fantastic Mother’s Day surprise the evening before. He and the girls had cleaned the house and mopped it for me as well while I had taken a late nap.  I’m a no-frills kind of girl so to me, this was super sweet!)

The biscuits and gravy were totally calling my name.

And the yummy, crunchy hashbrowns!

The girls were all about the hashbrowns too and the pancakes.

So as I enjoyed my breakfast, the girls played after they ate.

They’re still not to big to play on this thing.

I had made plans to go to a Garden Show with my Mom and the girls for Mother’s Day. So, we picked up my Mom, who was already prepared for the intensely sunny day.

Love the hat Mom! I’m guessing she didn’t want to put it on all the way in fear of having HAT HEAD in case she decided to take it off.

Much to our dismay, as soon as we took the exit off the interstate to get to the show, I felt the car was making a strange noise. So, I pulled over to check it out.

Lovely! A flat!!

Whereas I can now take this things in stride and write it off as “shit happens”, my mom’s initial reaction is to panic and stress. It’s a flat tire! And it’s not like we’re stuck in the hood somewhere.

Now, I’ve had about three instances where I’ve had to change a tire myself so I’m pretty well-versed in it.

Once when I was working at the Saturn manufacturing plant as a co-op student, where back then buying a non-American car was considered unpatriotic and unfavorable among the workers, so someone decided to slash my tire because I drove a Japanese car…in fact, it was that Honda I just sold.

Still, changing a tire is not exactly fun…plus, I’m too pregnant and it’s HOT! Luckily, we had AAA and the gentleman was there in about 20 minutes…pretty good for being a Sunday and Mother’s Day on top of that!

Plus, this gentleman has all the right tools, which make it much easier and faster!

Ten minutes later and he was done!

Not exactly great looking but it will do! I feel so GHETTO.

Luckily, this car has a full-sized spare and we can still head to the Garden Show.

Off to a somewhat rough start but what can you do?

-Jane, Non-Fan of Flats.

Of course, with shows like Cake Wars, DC Cupcakes, and Cake Boss, cakes and cupcakes are all the rage!!

I totally get sucked into watching those shows whenever I catch a glimpse.

Inside is super cute. I love the colors!

Something about watching people ice cakes is so hypnotizing.

There are plenty of choices.

We end up getting a carrot top, red velvet, tuxedo, and double chocolate.

Each cupcake is $2.75.

But they are large and SUPER moist.

I had the red velvet…YUM!!!

Not the same as TCBY but still fulfills my need for sweets.

-Jane, Cupcake Lover.

Last night, we were craving Chelo Koobideh (ground beef) Kabob, one of the staples of Persian food.

The MEN decided they would use the fire pit to grill our kabobs the OLD SCHOOL WAY.

“Uga uga! We are MEN and we will make FIRE and grill KABOB!”

LOL. No, they didn’t really say that. That’s just me, INFERRING it.

Ok, so the pre-skewered kabob you get at your local grocery store is not the same thing.

And, it’s probably seasoned because it’s getting old and they put in the glass case to sell it faster.

Just sayin’.

This is a ground beef kabab, infused with grated-onion and seasoning for a deliciously yummy taste.

Traditional Persian skewers are flat…so none of that spinning around problem.

Seriously, why aren’t all skewers like these?

Imagine spearing a whole fish down the middle.

Kabob with Basmati Rice (sprinkled with sumac), Grilled Tomatos, and some radishes/raw onion/herbs.

OMG, to die for!!!

-Jane, Fan of Kabob.

After delaying and forgetting (possibly purposefully) that I needed to come in for this test, I finally dragged my ass to the doctor’s office. Who has three hours to sit around and do nothing? Not this Jane.

Like I said, you are to eat NOTHING after midnight from the night prior to coming in. The nurse even made sure that I didn’t have any breath mints or gum. Then they take the initial blood sample. I say initial because you end up getting stuck with that needle FOUR TIMES.

Then they give you this ultrasweet, nasty orange drink…the “glucose drink”, which I was told must be downed in 5 minutes.

Geez, I’m all boobs and tummy.

I am very disturbed by how they REST on my tummy too.

It was a struggle but I did it…and under 5 minutes too!

Yay for overachievers!

Now it’s a matter of waiting.

And waiting…

And waiting…

Oh good!

Ellen is on!

I love her!

This keeps me entertained for a a good hour.

Heidi Klum is beautiful but not that funny.

Then I get the needle again.

More waiting…

And waiting…

Can you tell I’m bored?

And again another blood sample on the hour.

This happens until I’ve given blood four times and I’m left sure that I could never be a  self injecting drug addict, even though the nurse says I have great veins. This is not a compliment….protruding veins.

I leave STARVING and am ready to chow down. It’s a co-op day and although I was not there to be a lunch lady like usual, I am headed there for lunch because they had SHRIMP BOIL for lunch. Yum!

Here’s my first plate. Yes, I said first.

And here’s my second plate.

And dessert.

Yes, this preggar can eat. (No snickering Dick!)

Good thing I already had the glucose test.

I have also just gotten the results…PASSED!

Oh yeah!

(I’m doing my preggar happy dance…

…which cracks Dick up when I dance with my big belly rollin around.)

Phew! I wasn’t looking forward to having to adjust my diet.

-Jane, Eating for Two Preggar.

Just take your flounder and coat the outside with flour, turmeric, salt & pepper. Cook it in oil until cripsy on med-high.

They come out beautifully golden, crispy on the outside like this, but moist and juicy on the inside.

Here’s the final meal: Crispy Flounder, Potato Crusted Persian Rice, Salad, and Baked Butternut Squash.

Click on the hyperlinks for the recipes. Enjoy!

-Jane, Family Cook.

Now Persians use Basmati rice, which are long grains of fragrant white rice that don’t stick together like Asian Jasmine rice.

Now it’s best to go to your local Middle Eastern or Indian grocery store to buy your rice (Royal, Tilda, Pari, Zebra are some brand names) or Sam’s Club has the large bags of the Royal Brand as well. The bastmati that comes in tiny 1-lb bags from Mahatma taste crappy and ARE NOT the same!

Now Persian rice, well Persian cooking in general, is a lengthy process. It’s not hard, it just takes a damn long time. This rice takes about 1.5 hours from start  to finish. However, I cook other stuff in between.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

4 cups of Basmati Rice (1 cup per person eating)

Salt

Butter

Cooking Oil (I like to use Olive or Canola)

Saffron (optional)

3-4 Medium to Large Potatos (I like Russet or Yukon Gold)

1. Wash your rice.

Start by putting 4 cups of basmati rice into a large non-stick pot.

Persians then wash the rice at least three times, dumping out the dirty water each time. Finally, leave about 8 cups of lukewarm water in the pot. (about 2 inches of water above the rice).

2. Add salt & soak.

Add  about 3 teaspoons of salt to the water. Let it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you don’t have 30 minutes that’s okay too but letting it sit allows the water to soak into the rice, making it tastier.

Now, Persians will also tend to add about 1 tablespoon of butter (you can leave it as a lump) into the water as well. This also makes it taste super yummy but its obviously not as healthy. I think I opted out today.

3. Cook the rice to a rapid boil.

When you’re ready to start your rice, start the heat on high. Also add more water so that it’s about 3-4 inches above the rice.

Cook the rice until the water comes to a rapid boil and the rice is al-dente (not fully cooked)…which is about 5 minutes of cooking on high boil.

4. Peel and slice your potatos.

While your rice is trying to boil,  peel and slice your potatos to be around 1/4 inch thick.

4. Pour out your rice.

Once the rice is al-dente, pour it out into a strainer and rinse with warm water.

5. Add the potatos.

Now, rinse out your non-stick pot. Dry it, and add a thin layer of oil on the bottom or your pan. Place the potatos into the bottom as so.

I also like to sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper for taste.

6. Now add your rice on top.

7. Shape the rice so that it is domed, kinda like  a pyramid.

8. Cover your lid with a dish rag or towel.

This is so that the condensation built on the lid doesn’t make your rice all soggy!

9. Cook the rice.

Turn the heat from high to less than medium (about 4 on scale of 1-10) and let it cook for 30 minutes.

OPTIONAL BUTTER: If you want the added buttery taste that comes with traditional Persian rice, slice up a stick of butter  into about 10 pieces and spread them over the top of the rice. Now cook the rice on med (about 5-6) for about 10 minutes to make the potatoes nice and golden and the rice flavorful.

OPTIONAL SAFFRON: If you’ve ever noticed, Persian rice sometimes comes with some golden yellowy grains. This is saffron rice. So, if you have saffron, you can crush a few flakes with a tad of sugar. Add warm water. and let it steam with the rice.

Persians often use their tea cups for this.

Before you dump out your rice, you’ll scoop about 1-cup from the top and add the saffron juice to it. It turns the rice a nice golden yellow. You just then add this yellow rice on top of your white rice. Beautiful, fragrant and tasty!

10. Flip your rice.

When your rice (and potatoes) is done cooking, you’ll need a large tray to put it in. You can either scoop out the steamed part first and then scrape the potatos and either place them on a separate dish.

Or you can do like I do and just flip it over like and upsidedown cake into your tray.

Isn’t that just beautiful? With the saffron and it looks like this.

Yummo!!

-Jane, Persian Rice Lover.

]]> http://janeanddick.com/recipes/potato-crusted-basmatic-persian-rice-with-saffron/feed/ 6 http://janeanddick.com/recipes/if-youre-a-fan-of-sweet-potatoes-youll-love-baked-butternut-squash/ http://janeanddick.com/recipes/if-youre-a-fan-of-sweet-potatoes-youll-love-baked-butternut-squash/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:09:29 +0000 Jane http://janeanddick.com/?p=20635 It’s been a while since I did a recipe post.  Sorry, they take a while to write so it’s hard to find the time. But, the other day I made some Crispy Flounder, Baked Butternut Squash and Potato Crusted Basmati Persian Rice for my family. I was going to put the entire recipes for all of them onto one post but thought it was too long so I’m going to break them up into separate posts. So click on the hyperlinks for my other posts if you want the recipes for those.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

1 Large Butternut Squash

1 Medium Sweet Onion

Garlic (optional)

Salt  & Pepper

Olive Oil

BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

We were at the grocery store the other day and I saw this beautiful  butternut squash. It’s not something I eat often and I hadn’t had any in a while so it was calling my name. The plan was to make creamy Butternut Squash soup but after I started baking it in the over first, it turned out so yummy I decided to just use it as a side dish.

1. Preheat your oven to 450F and Peel the Squash.

I use my old school, machete-like peeler that I got while I was in Vietnam. You remember the one that gave me that cut?

Use whatever you have but the skin on this squash is quite thick and tough so you’ll need something sharp and sturdy!

Mine, although rustic-looking, works magnificently. You just gotta be careful not to lop off your finger.

2. Cut the squash into smaller sections.

Sometimes I just can’t help myself.

Get yo’ mind outta the gutter!

LOL.

3. Scoop out the seeds if the lower, rounder area.

4. Dice it up!

Looks like cheddar huh?

(Make sure to oil the pan well first.)

5. Dice up an onion and sprinkle on top.

Add a little salt & pepper too.

6. I also put a few cloves of garlic, unpeeled in one corner.

Oven-roasted garlic is super yummy and makes the squash smell soooo goooood.

7. Cook it in the oven until it starts to gets slightly golden brown.

You’ll have to occasionally check on it and flip the cubes of squash around so that they’ll cook evenly.

With the garlic aroma and the caramelized onion, the squash almost had a texture and sweetness similar to sweet potatoes.

So I was supposed to put this in a blender so I could purree it for my soup but it was so yummy like this that I decided to just eat it as is. Dick and the girls loved it.

-Jane, Butternut Squash Fan.

Just toast up your favorite whole grain bread (baguette’s are great too!).

On a separate plate, put Extra Virgin Olive Oil, your favorite Balsamic Vinegar, some salt and pepper and you’re good to go!

I love this snack because it’s something the kids can make BY THEMSELVES!

Independence is key.

And, Lazy Parents spawn Independent Kids.

-Jane, Lazy Parent to Independent Girls.

All I did was sprinkle salt, pepper, and my special mushroom seasoning (optional) and cooked the bass in the oven at 350F for about 30-40 minutes (or until it’s cooked). Use olive oil to coat the pan.

I then added a crushed almond crust to the exterior and pan seared the bass fillets until they were brown on both sides. (Also using olive oil.)

I also then sauteed some chopped green onions with some olive oil in a pan. After it is soft and cooked, I drizzle it over the bass.

Chilean Sea Bass is so tasty that you don’t really need to do much to it.  Yum!!!

-Jane, Fan of Sea Bass.

]]> http://janeanddick.com/food/simple-and-super-tasty-almond-crusted-chilean-sea-bass/feed/ 0 http://janeanddick.com/random-stuff/my-dads-pho/ http://janeanddick.com/random-stuff/my-dads-pho/#comments Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:35:31 +0000 Jane http://janeanddick.com/?p=20181 Since my parents have been gone and traveled to Vietnam to eat a ton of super yummy Vietnamese food, my dad finally made some Pho for us while Lucy was in town. This is the first time we have had pho in over two months and I was totally missing it!!

If you don’t know what Pho is, it’s probably THE MOST TRADITIONAL and popular of Vietnamese foods. It’s a super yummy beef broth soup with rice noodles with options of adding different cuts of meat and tripe, if you dare. Also, to top it off, you have fresh herbs that make the soup super yummy!

This soup is fantastic on a cold winter day!

Now something you probably won’t even find in a restaurant is the daikon that my dad puts in it.

Makes the broth extra tasty and is super yummy (and healthy)!

If you’ve never tried Pho, OMG, you are missing out on a piece of heaven.

For more on Pho, click HERE.

-Jane, Pho Lover!

If you’re having guests over, you can’t go wrong with having some red wine, Boursin cheese  and crackers, hummus and bagel chips, grapes, strawberries, and cheddar. A beautiful and tasty appetizer spread!

I love how these pictures turned out.

So French Country Chic!

-Jane, Fan of Cheese, Hummus, Crackers, Wine and Fruits.

Of course, this preggar was craving some Chick-fil-A too. A chicken biscuit, with a side of gravy  (oh yeah!) and some tater tots. Um, yum!

So, you  know how one of the first things you usually do when eating at a fast food restaurant is prep a good pile of 3-4 packages of ketchup for the tator tots or fries?

Don’t you hate it when you go through all the trouble of getting the ketchup ready when someone swoops in and tries to reap the benefits of all your hard work, and even sometimes eats all the ketchup and never refilling the pile? (Ahem, Dick is often guilty of this as well.)

Getting the ketchup out of the packages is not only difficult sometimes but it’s terribly messy! Therefore, Ketchup Etiquette is: To each his own!

Lucy had already made a good pile of ketchup when Louise decided to reach over and try to dip her tator tot into it. Louise then gets a quick lesson in Ketchup Etiquette: Denied!

“Don’t even think about it. Get your own ketchup!”

And she was serious! How’s that for a loving Aunt? I have to agree though.

As you can see, the girls learned their etiquette lesson for the day.

-Jane, Follower of Ketchup Etiquette (Most of the time).

]]> http://janeanddick.com/food/breakfast-at-chick-fil-a-fast-food-ketchup-etiquette-get-yo-own/feed/ 0 http://janeanddick.com/food/pomelo-the-sweet-alternative-to-grapefruit/ http://janeanddick.com/food/pomelo-the-sweet-alternative-to-grapefruit/#comments Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:38:55 +0000 Jane http://janeanddick.com/?p=18831

What is a Pomelo? It’s the sweeter version of a grapefruit and about three times the size of an orange.

I guess Walmart spells it “pummelo”. Same thing.

They’re a little pricey (About $2.50-$3.00 each) but are really yummy.

I don’t like grapefruit. It’s too bitter for me. But, the pomelo is a great alternative to the grapefruit and this is the season for it. The pomelo is the largest among citrus fruits  and originates from Southeast Asia.

The rind is thick and easy to peel. Just score it and peel away the outside.

Inside you’ll find the fruit, which you’ll have to again peel away the skin surrounding the pulp.

It’s too thick for me to eat, unlike with oranges.

On the inside you will find a gorgeous, sweet pink pulp.

Health benefits include fighting off cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cleansing/flushing your system.

It’s full of Potassium and Vitamin C!

My girls LOVE pomelo!

They woofed this down in minutes. Dang! And Daddy didn’t even get any!

Remember, eat things that are in season!

And if you don’t like grapefruit but you like citrus fruits, this is a great one!

-Jane, Fan of Pomelo.

Whole wheat turkey w/mayo & tomato. Lays plain chips. Claussen pickles.

Mmmm, that was good.

I think that took me about 5 minutes to eat.

Remember, I’m pregnant!

Yes, I plan on using that line to the fullest extent!

Of course, Dick will tell you this is not a pregnancy thing.

If I’m up late at night, which is often…

I will snack.

-Jane, Late Night Snacker.

Pomegranates are those beautiful, large, red fruits.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF POMEGRANATES

Not only are pomegranates beautiful, they are super-healthy for you.

Full of Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Potassium, polyphenols , fiber (in the seeds) and antioxidants, they have proven to reduce heart disease risk factors, lower systolic blood pressure, inhibit dental plaque, assist in preventing breast cancer, and helps keep your immune system healthy during these cold winter months.

HOW TO SELECT A POMEGRANATE

Now, the darker the red color of the skin, the sweeter and darker the seeds will be.

Check out the bottom portion of the bowl, it’s lighter than the rest because it came from the lighter pomegranate. Makes me so thirsty looking at these deliciously juicy seeds. Yum!

My awesome cousin brought us a bag full when she came to visit over Thanksgiving. So, Dick and I sat down and de-seeded a bunch of them just because it’s so much work!

Now you may remember last year, I posted a story about the Easiest Way to De-Seed a Pomegranate, where the method shown was by tapping the pomegranate to remove the seeds.

And while that may be, Dick and I agree, it’s still more enjoyable to do it the old school way that we do, by just simply sitting down and doing it by hand. It’s so meditational! We like to sit in front of the TV or fireplace and peel the pomegranates.

So, if you’re craving some pomegranate and need some zen meditation in you, try this out.

MEDITATIONAL POMEGRANATE DE-SEEDING

I usually lay down a down around where I’m working.

And, I put another to cover my clothes.

Sometimes you get sprayed…it’s inevitable.

Step 1.

Peel the skin with a knife.

Cut just enough to get the thick red layer off but do not cut into the seeds.

We’re trying to minimize the amount of juice that gets everywhere.

Step 2.

Break the peeled pomegranate in half.

And then half again.

Step 3.

Work those seeds out of their pockets.

This is the time-consuming part.

Four pomegranates later and, you’re left with a pile of empty skin shells and beautiful mound of antioxidant-juicy-filled yumminess.

I didn’t pay attention to how long it took to do all these but probably a hour or so while I was watching TV. (We were chilling at my parents house because you may remember, I don’t have any channels at home. We just use the TV to watch movies.). Okay so it’s more meditational if you’re sitting in front of the fireplace and not in front of the TV.  Gimme a break, I only watch TV every once in a while.

So as you can see, it takes time but we enjoy it!

Especially Dick really enjoys it.

He always reaps the fruits of my hard work.

Literally this time!

Now, I’m not a huge fan of the seeds inside but you just chew them real good.

They’re full of fiber so just think of the health benefits.

Healthy and quenches that thirst.

Ymmmm….

-Jane, Ferocious Pomegranate De-Seeder.

]]> http://janeanddick.com/food/pomegranate-time/feed/ 0 http://janeanddick.com/random-stuff/our-thanksgiving-family-fun-and-food/ http://janeanddick.com/random-stuff/our-thanksgiving-family-fun-and-food/#comments Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:17:44 +0000 Jane http://janeanddick.com/?p=17135 So as I mentioned in my Thanksgiving message yesterday, we started out our day by taking a walk around my parent’s neighborhood. It was such a beautiful day!

WALKING

COOKING

After our walk, Lucy and I got to cooking, along with Louise’s help.

While we three were busy cooking up a storm, I found Dick and Thelma reading the sales ads and then they took a huge nap! Must be nice!

THE FOOD

The turkey turned out super yummy and moist.

Persian Rice with a potato crust.

Collard Greens and Sweet Potato Casserole.

Scalloped Potatos with a Corn Flake Crust and Mushroom Gravy.

I seemed to have failed to get a picture of the stuffing and corn. We may be Vietnamese (and Persian) but we love a traditional Thanksgiving meal (minus the Persian Rice.)

While we were setting the table, the kids were playing Monopoly with my cousins, Dumbledore and Hermione.

If you don’t recognize the pieces, it’s because it’s a PET SHOP version of Monopoly.

EATING

Here we are, all of us, including my cousins from Arkansas.

Here’s my plate. I think I got a little of everything.

I am not a dainty salad eater. This Jane loves food!

And I cleaned my plate too!

PLAYING

After dinner, we were all seriously stuffed to the max!

Us kids (Yes, I still include myself in this group) decided to play a game of Boggle while the adults sat and chatted.

The girls kept coming up with strange words that they were hoping would not get challenged.

However, we I am a stickler for the rules and we feel no pity for the young.

If you want to play, you must play by the rules!

I was so stuffed that breathing was difficult so I plopped myself on the couch to play.

Such great fun! I’m so glad my girls are at the age where they can start to participate in the games.

Shortly after we were done playing, I totallypassed out and fell asleep for like 4 hours, waking at 11:30 at night.

So, that was our Thanksgiving…fully of Family, Fun, and Food! (Three of the most important things in my life.)

-Jane, Lover of Thanksgiving.

The girls brushed their teeth.

We packed up the car and we was OUT!

Along the way, we stopped for breakfast at none other than Waffle House.

Don’t let our International looks fool you, we are totally Southerners at heart.

And we love the simple, fast breakfast that Waffle House has to offer.

The is probably one of the nicest Waffle House’s that I’ve ever been to. It’s got a mountain view!

Waffles, hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, grits, raisin toast, and tomato slices. Yum!

The hashbrowns are probably some of the best around…cooked perfectly…nice and crunchy!

We did get a lot of strange, pondering looks, like…why is this Asian chick taking pictures of everything???

Bet she’s never had breakfast at Waffle House before.

Whatever, I’m used to it.

-Jane, Fan of Waffle House.

Image by www.homecookingdiary.com.

(I threw away the packaging before I remembered to take a picture).

Easy, fast and to spark my girls interest in eating it initially, I told them I was making WORMS for them to eat…you know, because eating WORMS sounds super appetizing.

You have to admit, they do kinda look like worms.

Well, it worked.

The girls love pretending that they are eating “WORMS” but they really love the taste.

It’s yummy! I like WORMS too!

I know, not exactly healthy but I feel it’s okay to splurge every now and then.

Of course my girls know how to use chopsticks! They’re Vietnamese!

And I can’t even take credit for it. They taught themselves when they were toddlers.

Since we’re eating worms, my girls start up an impromptu game of PRETEND. PRETEND is when they make up stories as they go and start off with “pretend we’re…” and then their imaginations go wild.

“Pretend we’re HOBOS but we have nice clothes.”

“Pretend we’re eating worms BECAUSE we’re hobos.”

“Yeah and pretend we have nice clothes because we got fifty cents and we went to the dry cleaners.”

OMG, where do they come up with these things!

So, if you’re looking for a great ramen that the kids (and adults) will love, I highly recommend trying some WORMS, aka CHAPAGETTI (which can be found at your local Asian grocery store).

-Jane, Mother of Worm Eaters.

What I like about this place is that it has a loungy feel. It’s like a neighborhood hang out where those who live nearby frequent as regulars and come for some great sushi, a good atmosphere, and friendly service.

Ain’t my hubby just the cutest thang? I’m really digging this PREPPY LOOK on him.

What I love about my hubby is that we always have big laughs when we hang out and are easily amused by eachother. I can’t remember why Dick is laughing so hard but I’m sure he’s making fun of me for something like my enormous head or huge appetite.

THE FOOD

Miso soup and Green Tea.

A spring mix house salad with a ginger dressing topped off with wasabi peas.

 I really need to learn how to make the Japanese Ginger dressing.

So fresh and yummy!

Light and cripsy Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura. What I love about tempura, besides the fact that it’s deep fried, is that the batter is not thick and doughy like most deep fried foods. The tangy, ginger/soy dipping sauce was so DELISH and perfect for my deep fried shrimp, zucchini, shitake mushroom, red onion, asparagus, sweet potato and potato.

La Piece De La Resistance

At this sushi bar, you can just tell them what you like and they’ll throw together a CUSTOM CREATION just for you. We rarely order off the menu. I love being surprised by the chef!

Since the YELLOWTAIL came highly recommended today, we requested yellowtail with crunchy soft shell crab and TA-DA!

The chef created this HEAVENLY MASTERPIECE for us. Magnifique!!! A yellowtail roll, with cream cheese & cucumber filling, topped with a semi-spicy crunchy soft shell crab & green onion crust. I’m sure there are some other ingredients as well, I just lost all concentration when the server brought it out and was focusing on just SAVORING my sushi roll.

Plus, Dick was paying attention while our waiter explaining the chef’s creation.

He was super nice and you could tell, he loved working here!

So absolutely scrumptous.

That hit the spot just right.

-Jane, Sushi Lover.

Sure, looks pretty and all…but, how does it taste???

And, with it being so beautifully made, it would be difficult to mess it up and eat it!

Over the weekend, on a fresh beautiful morning, I made Dick a couple of soft boiled eggs for breakfast and brought it outside so he could enjoy a nice outdoor, relaxing breakfast with nature.

Aren’t I just the most fabulous wife?

(The answer is YES.)

HOW TO GET THE PERFECT SOFT BOILED EGG

So, how does one get a perfectly soft boiled egg? There’s nothing more annoying than getting a dry, hard yolk rather than a silky, creamy center.

I only know of two methods on how to cook a soft boiled egg.

METHOD 1:

1) Put your eggs in a small pot (enough to fit the number of eggs you are cooking).

2) Put the pot on the stove-top on HIGH.

3) Note when the water is at a rapid boil and exactly one minute after that, take the eggs out.

I’m not a fan of this method because it requires you to watch over the pot and time it properly, which I’m not always on top of, and instead of a soft boiled egg, I’m left  with a dry, hard boiled egg. Very disappointing.

Actually, my favorite method was taught to me by one of my dearest friends who now live in Poland.

METHOD 2:

1) Boil a pot of water.

2) When it boils, gently place your eggs in the pot. I use a spoon to gently lower them into the pot, otherwise, with the rapid movement due to boiling, the egg could crack and then you have rubber egg white leaking on the outside of your egg.

3) Set your timer for exactly 5 minutes and remove the eggs immediately after 5 minutes.

4) Peel your egg. Add some salt and pepper if you like. And eat your yummy, perfectly soft boiled egg.

VOILA! PERFECTION.

-Jane, Fabulous Breakfast-Making Wife.

Apples with peanut butter spread on top.

I remember thinking, apples…with peanut butter…really.

But, it’s SOOOOO good. If you’ve never tried it, OMG, you’re missing out!

My kids LOVE it! We all do.

Get your protein as well as keep the doctor away!

By the way, Apples are YIN and Peanut Butter is YANG, when it comes to MACROBIOTICS.

So there you go, BALANCE!

-Jane, Fan of Apples & Peanut Butter.