How Many Ways Can I Eat? Let Me Count the Ways

I, like most folks, always have some same-old same-old stuff in the fridge drawers.  Raise your hands if you always have these:

• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes

Me!  Me!

So just how many ways can you use them in cooking without getting bored eating them?  Here are three easy ones for me.  Healthy, good looking, and I am able to use up what's in the fridge (then go get some more).

Hot Pot - Do shabu-shabu everything in boiling broth

 Steamed Veggies - Perfect with ponzu dipping sauce

Udon Casserole - the secret is to smear miso on the side of the dish

Give it a try.  You don't need a recipe.  I am sure there are many more ways to use up these ingredients too.  Experiment and have fun.  I sure did.

A Sad Day at the Doggy Park

I witnessed a sad event at the doggy park today. One minute, a beautiful bouncy golden retriever was happily playing catch with his owner; the next minute, he had a heart attack/seizure and collapsed.  His dad and two other dog people got down and started performing CPR on him. The rest of us just stood there feeling useless.

The scene was heartbreaking.  Three people frantically trying to save a beautiful dog. We were all hoping that the dog would start breathing.  He never did.  In matter of minutes, he was gone.  His dad was in shock.  He sat there staring at his dog and he kept saying that it wasn't supposed to be like this... The rest of us stood around them speechless.  We went through a short but traumatic event together.  We all shared the pain because it could have been one of our dogs.

The doggies seemed to sense that something was wrong as they all came over to check out the dog.  I told Dexter and Victor to step back and they did.

The owner had to carry the dog to his car.  He picked him up and started walking.  He had this dazed look.  It was a very long walk.  I walked with him in silence.  He said he still could not process this whole thing just yet.  He wanted to cry but he was still trying to catch up with all his emotions.  Seeing him carrying his lifeless dog just broke my heart.  I was having a hard time processing what I just witnessed too.  It seemed so unreal.  They were playing catch.  That was all.

Dexter and Victor stayed close to me as we walked the owner and his dog to the parking lot.  Victor kept sniffing the doggy. He didn't like him being carried and not moving.

As we went back to our car, Dexter and Victor walked along side me as always. I felt very sorry and sad that the other owner had to carry his dog out of the park instead.

RIP, little buddy.  Your dad said at least you died while doing something you like.

Happy 49th To Me!

When I hit the big 50 last year, I told myself that I may not be that young anymore but I'm not that old either.  So, charge ahead Suts, there is still so much ahead of you.

A year later, I am actually feeling younger and more energetic than my younger self.  I think it is because I live up to my motto that I will live everyday to the fullest.  I may not have the resources to do a lot of the stuff that I want to do, but I do my best with the stuff that I can do.  So a round of applause for me please!!!

Thank you!  Thank you very much!

As I turn 51 today, I've decided that I am actually going to be 49.  Why not?  Age is just a number representing the physical time that we exist on this earth.  How we feel and how we live should not be bounded by this number.  So, there is nothing wrong being younger if I feel younger (and I'm going to be 48 next year).

Am I Benjamin-Buttoning?  In a way yes, but I am not looking to live my physical life in reverse -- I don't want to play with new kids if I go back to kindergarten  -- I just believe that our mind, spirit, soul, thoughts and feelings can be as young as we want it to be.  And, if we do a good job maintaining our physical health, heck, we may really be a Benjamin Button (that would be quite scary I think).

I have learned: Be true to yourself.  Be content.  Be happy.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Dad's Memoir

Dad's autobiography - his first book ever - was finally printed.  It took him over seven years to write but it's finally done.

Dad started writing his memoir after mom's stroke in 2007.  He has stayed home to be with her 24/7  from day one.  Up to this day, he is still by her side day in and day out.  There are times that he has to go out for appointments and meetings  but he would always come home as soon as he could because he doesn't want to leave mom alone.

Dad started writing because he wanted to document his life and his life with mom (which is more than 4/5 of their lives) and to leave something for the kids to treasure.  So he started writing from his childhood, to his struggle while growing up, meeting mom, building their family, moving to the US, starting a new life and telling all about it.

And he wrote and wrote.  Dad's book is over 50,000 words and over 500 pages with precious photos from their childhoods and our childhoods.  Yes, he had a lot to talk about.  Some sad, some happy, some very down times and some very proud moments.

Not everyone's father is a writer.  My dad sure is not.  His writing may not be very professional but he wrote with his heart.  The book is dedicated to mom, who has stood by him through thick and thin.

Dad and mom endured peaks and valleys in all these years but they never lost the courage to plow through all obstacles.  Just when we thought that they were ready to enjoy their retirement, mom suffered a life changing stroke.  But this is life, and we will take it as it comes.

So Dad wrote from his heart.  We are so proud of Dad and his determination to finish this book.

Congratulations Dad.  You just prove to us again that as long as you put your heart in it, you can accomplish anything.

Something about my parents:

• Both in their 70s now.  Mom is three years younger than Dad.
• They have been married for 51 years (52 comes December 9, 2014)
• They were engaged for 3 years before getting married
• They were together for 7-8 years before getting engaged
• Together, they have 3 kids, 2 daughter in-laws and 4 grand kids

Hello 韭菜盒子 (Chive Pockets), We Meet Again!

The first attempt I tried making  韭菜盒子 (Chive Pockets) was back in 2008.  It was a noble try but nothing to get excited about.

Checkout how I did the first time: Chive Pockets

Now that I have a better handle on FLOUR, I thought I would give it another try.  Can you believe that I am now experimenting northern Chinese food (steamed buns, pork buns, etc...)??  I'm not even from the North!!  OK, that's a story for another time.

Lessons Learned from my second attempt last night:

#1 - Follow the recipe.  Yes, flour is not your friend if you don't follow its rules!!  I learned that I need to use the right water temperature.  Cold, lukewarm or hot.  It depends on what you want to make.  For chive pockets, you need a temperature of between 65°C - 70°C (or 149°F - 158°F.  Yap.  Good luck with that).

#2 - Knead the dough.  I know! I know! And I'm pretty good at kneading dough now.  I know I need to knead that baby until smooth and elastic - just like breads!

#3 - More chive please.

#4 - Cook the ground pork first.  This was a big discovery for me.  I used uncooked pork filling the first time and it took forever to cook through.  I ended up cooking the chive pockets as if they were pot stickers.  And the result was GIANT pot stickers with dried hard skin.  The correct way is to gently brown all sides of the chive pockets and cover the pot for couple of minutes to heat through.  That's it.  So point #5 from my first try is a bad one.  Chive pockets are not pot stickers!!

So, here's the result of my second attempt.   Much better yes?  I now need to work on shaping the pockets so they stand up like little purses.

The New Bread Lady

I came a long way in learning to make bread.  From relying on the bread machine 100% to just using it to knead dough to making bread from beginning to finish by hand.  OK.  You can call me bread lady now!!

In the beginning, there was no guarantee that my bread would be successful.  First loaf might be great but the second one a flop.  No idea why.  So I would buy a loaf of bread as backup just in case mine failed.

On my bread making quest, I even tried no knead breads - they were supposed to be easy - but somehow they just didn't come out right. For a while, I was pretty deflated (ya, like bad yeast) since I couldn't even handle simple no knead.  Heck!  A 5 year-old can make no-knead breads!!

But I got the hang of kneading dough over time.  All the practicing paid off!!  I actually enjoy kneading dough now believe it or not.  And slowly but surely, my bread started to look like real bread on a consistent basis.  I even made a darn good loaf yesterday!  It was tall, soft, fluffy and good looking.

See?  You like?  You like??

Another life lesson learned: Practice makes perfect.  I learned to shape it like a sandwich bread from thekitchn.com just yesterday.  Now, my bread is really coming together.

From memory, here's the Allrecipes.com honey whole wheat bread recipe (with minor adjustments from all the reviews I read):

1 1/8 cup warm water

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup bread flour

2 TBL butter

1 1/2 tsp yeast

350° F for 25 minutes

The recipe is written for bread machine.  I just pretend that I'm the bread machine.  If the machine can make bread, so can I.

Piggy on the Roof

Look what's up on the roof?!?!  It's a PIG!  It's a PARTY PIG!

After all these years, I finally found the perfect weathervane for our roof.  You know, one of those whimsical thingies that sit on the rooftop; one that turns and turns when the wind blows; one that people usually stop to take a peek?  Ya, that weathervane!

I always wanted one but not just any one.  I want a pig because mom loves pigs and she collects anything pig.  Moreover, I want a unique pig up there - no more flying pigs (and roosters) - and I want it simple, elegant yet artistic.  Boy, it sure takes some searching.

I finally found one that I have been looking for and I think it makes a statement.  A dancing merry pig holding a martini.  How cool is that?  And, that's definitely the Wu Family theme.

James, Jason and I chipped in and got this cute pig weathervane for mom's 75th birthday.  It's hammered out of copper and made in Maine. James secretly installed the mount couple of days ago.  Yesterday, during mom's pre-birthday celebration (we shall party again on her actual birthday), we asked mom to come outside to take a peek.  She had no idea what she was about to see.  

Mom, look up!  Look up there!  It's a PIG! 

James hid on the roof waiting for my cue.  When all eyes were on the roof above the garage, he popped the pig in the mount.  Immediately, the pig started swirling and dancing in the wind holding that lovely martini.  It was so cute!!  Mom and dad got a good kick out of it.  Mom loved it so did everyone else.  

So, from now on, folks just have to look for the house with a party pig on the roof to find the Wu House.

Party on.

First Time for Many Things

Colon screening is like a ritual for those who turn 50.   Yap.  Doctor recommends that one should do a colon screening when reaching age 50.  When I had my annual checkup this year, my doc smiled and said, "it's time."

So I had my FIRST colonoscopy yesterday.  Along with the procedure, I also encountered my many firsts:

• First time without solid food for 36 hours - just water and water and water...
• First time having a IV injection - like blood donation except fluid going in not coming out
• First time taking in pure oxygen
• First time being wheeled in a hospital bed - what a weird feeling looking at the ceiling flying by
• First time dozed off under anesthesia - knocked out in less than a minute

What an experience!  Welcome to to middle age, Suts!  The actual screening was the easiest part.  The worst part was preparing for it.  Not being able to eat was hard; drinking that nasty solution and 32 oz of water in one hour time was the hardest - and I had to do it twice!!

There are few ways to do colon screening.  Colonoscopy is the most invasive one yet the most thorough. Don't shy away because the procedure is inconvenient or unpleasant.  Take charge of your health.  Do your screening when the time comes.  This is the best 50th birthday present that you can give yourself.

To read more: Colon Screening

Go Hog (Wild) Island Oyster Co. Clam Chowder!!

I was strolling down Market Street couple of weeks ago and a photo caught my eyes.  It was on the front cover of this free magazine displayed in a curbside magazine rack.

It was a picture of a pretty bowl of clams.  Very yummy looking, so I grabbed a copy of the magazine to check it out.

It turned out be a bowl of clam chowder - original recipe created by the owners - from the Hog Island Oyster Company.  It didn't look like the usual creamy gooey New England style clam chowder.  But where was the recipe? 

People!  People!!  Don't tease me with a delicious food photo and not tell me how to make it.  That's just wrong!!

I first went to the Hog Island Oyster Company website to check out the menu.  Yap.  Right there.  $14.  I then google Hog Island Oyster Company Clam Chowder and ta-da, I found the recipe!!

My God, how did we ever live without the search engines (especially Google)???

Monkey see.  Monkey do.  I tried the recipe promptly and it was scrumptious!!  I don't know if my version tasted like the real thing though.  I guess I should go spend the $14 to find out and to thank the Hog Island Oyster people for this wonderful dish.

Never know what you will discover even during a lunch time stroll.  So, once again, I learn to keep my eyes open and be ready to try something new.

Here's the recipe: Hog Island Oyster Co. Manila Clam Chowder

Pho-Pho-Pho!

Pho is judged by its broth.

Have you had cloudy broth?  That happens when you don't tend your broth.  Baby the broth and skim the top constantly to keep the broth clear.  Yes, it takes time but you will be rewarded with a beautiful pot of broth.

Have you tasted "meaty" broth?  Want good soup?  You need to boil the bones first to get rid of that meaty flavor.

So I think I know the mechanics of broth making.  But, how the heck do you get those exotic flavors infused in the broth?  Inquiring mind wants to know!!

Not satisfied with eating out, I decided to challenge myself with pho making.  After couple of tries, I slowly grasped the flavor and the taste.

First of all, you need the right ingredients.  Pho broth is infused with all kind of spices.  Variation in portions of the spices results in different combination of flavors.  I think that's why some pho taste better than others.

Secondly, the secret is in BROILING the ginger and onions until they are dried and charred at the edges.  In my first try, I did not broil them long enough so the flavors were not released.  In my second try, I let it broil for a good 20 minutes until the spiciness of the ginger and the sweetness of the onions permeated from the oven.

Put all the ingredients in a pot of water and let it simmer.  OK... I shamelessly added in a can of beef broth - just in case - for added flavor.

Let the broth simmer for 3 hours.  It needs love and tender care.  Don't let it boil too quickly because you don't want the broth to become muddy and you want to be patient in picking up the impurities to keep the broth clear.  So, pick an afternoon when you are relaxed and have the time to baby the broth.

So far I made pho twice.  I learned from my mistakes and I actually improved quite a bit by the second time -  I used less water; I added more spices, and I let the ginger and broil longer.  I am by no mean making professional grade pho, but I think I have earned some bragging rights with my family and friends.  Tee-hee...

Surely you can use pre-mixed pho broth powder but where is the fun doing that?  Part of pho making is the uniqueness of your broth flavor.  Add a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and your pho will be different from others.

Go ahead, make pho your way.  Have fun.

***

Here's the pho recipe I found online:


Pho spices:
1 TBL coriander
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamon pods
5 star anise
1 TBL fennel seeds


- Pre boil beef bones (leg, knuckle the best) and other meats. I added beef tripe and tendons.
- Broil 4 gingers and 2 onions for 10-15 min
- Prepare 6 quart water. Put all ingredients in and let it simmer for 3 hours. Put the spices in a simmering pouch so it's not all over the soup.
- Season with salt, pepper, sugar. I added some rice wine and threw in couple of bay leaves.
- I used the thinly sliced beef sold in Chinese supermarket.
- Prepare the fresh condiments and the rice stick noodles.

Yes, I Scream

Few months ago I found a Cuisinart ice cream maker in a Goodwill store.  It looked very new and it was the same one I bought Jennifer few years ago for her birthday except hers was white and this one red.

Guess how much??  $5.99!!!  I scratched my head and checked it inside out.  Everything worked.  Nothing was missing.  Not even a scratch on the body.  I don't understand why people would spend lots of money getting a gadget then get rid of it just like that.  Hey, no complaint on my end though.  I happily took it home and my homemade ice cream was born!!

I googled ice cream recipes and found that there are easy simple ways and hard laborious ways.  I decided to stick with the simple ones.  If I have to make ice cream the hard way, then I mind as well buy them.

The simple vanilla ice cream recipe I found (courtesy of Cuisinart) is actually very good.  I think the secret is to use good whole milk and cream.  Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar (I cut back to 1 cup)

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 TBL pure vanilla extract

Whisk milk and sugar until sugar dissolves, then add cream and vanilla extract.  Pour into the ice cream maker and let it mix for 25-30 minutes.  Put in freezer, and voila, you made ice cream!

Many thanks to whoever donated the ice cream maker.

It's one fine toy!!

Freezer Food Challenge 2014

Time for my annual freezer food challenge.   I was going to start February 1st, but I just took a look at my freezers and I think I better start now because there are not enough days in February to exhaust what I have in the freezers.

So, from now to February 28th, we will be eating out of the freezers until we deplete what's in there.   Same rules apply.  No buying of anything other than fruits, veggies and dairy.  Oh, wine and beer are excluded from the game.

Let the game begin!

PHILADELPHIA© Cheesecake

Hands down to the Kraft peeps!  The cheesecake recipe that's on every stick of Philadelphia cream cheese is a keeper.  It's true that it's easy and simple to make, and it tastes great!

The recipe is easy to adjust too.  The original recipe calls for 4 sticks of cream cheese.   I only had two sticks so I winged it and hoped for the best.  Of course, it will be a smaller cake.

I cut back to 2 eggs and used 3/4 cup sugar.  I also cut back to 2 tablespoon of sugar for the crust.  I think it came out great without the additional sweetness.

1-1/2 cups   graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbl           sugar
1/3 cup       butter or margarine, melted
2 pkgs         (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup       sugar
1 tsp           vanilla
2                eggs

Bake in 325F oven for 45- 55minutes.

Note to self: don't over bake it.  You don't want the crust to become too hard.

Here's the original recipe:

PHILADELPHIA Classic Cheesecake

Simple Pleasure

It doesn't take a lot to brighten up my day.  A beautiful English plate that I got from Goodwill; a little cheese dome from another thrift shop.  They go very well with the day-old donut somehow and that makes me happy.

Hello 2014!

Time flew by too quickly.  I didn't even say good-bye to 2013 and here we are, 10 days into the brand new year.

My last post was more than two months ago.  The past two months went by like a blur.  I wasn't even ready for Christmas.  What Christmas??  I was intensively involved with the office move that I lived, breathed and dreamed about it 24/7.

Ahhh, the move...It was quite an experience.  I was volunteered the role of Project Manager.  I was a bit scared at first since I had never handled such a large scale move before, and I certainly had no idea what I was supposed to do.  But, someone had to do it... and I was that someone.

I took a deep breath and jumped into a sea of unknowns.  From overseeing the construction, finding movers, furniture vendors and other service providers, to organizing everything for 20 people to move from a 10,000 square feet office to a smaller 6,000 square feet space... and dealing with the hiccups, insurance requirement, restrictions, scheduling and the aftermath,.... man, now looking back, I had to ask myself, how the heck you did you do it, Suts?

Yes, pat me on the back please.

Everyone was impressed with the efficiency of the move.  The partners were totally blown away that they walked into a brand new office that was fully ready for operation.  All boxes put away; all systems ready to go.

That goes to show, never say you can't.  Just bite the bullet and do it.  Somehow, you will find a way to do it right.

I will face 2014 with my new found fearlessness.  I think 2014 will be an interesting year.  I can't wait to see what it will bring.

Here I come 2014, ready or not!!