Friday Favorite: Growing Lollipops

I'm not much of a gardener, but even I didn't mess this one up.

Plant jelly beans the day before Easter.

And just look at what blooms on Easter morning!

Winter Soup: Brandi's Tomato Soup

My sorority house often served the comfort food combo of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup on a cold day.  I loved it. Still do.

So, as uncreative as I am in the kitchen, I knew I wanted to figure out how to make my own heart-warming goodness. Most people say they create tasty recipes "through trial and error."  Not this girl.  I completely goofed and accidentally added some things and forgot other things because I tried to remember how to make a soup after reading a couple of different recipes.

No one could be more surprised than I was to discover how yummy my mistakes tasted!

All of these ingredients are readily available at my house.

Brandi's Tomato Soup

Ingredients
onion (red or yellow work)
stick of butter
3 cans diced or whole tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 TBS. tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of sour cream (pure cream tastes good, too)

• Dice onions and cook them in butter until clear. If you cook them until they begin to brown, well, that works, too.
• Add tomatoes and chicken broth and tarragon.
• Boil. Stir occasionally. Simmer about 40 minutes.
• Add sour cream and mix with your fancy emulsion mixer until smooth.

Special trick
Whole tomatoes work better than the diced if you use the emulsion mixer.  If you've ever slightly lifted the mixer to try to mix up those little diced pieces, then you know what happened. Yep. It looked like someone had stepped on a ketchup packet and splattered it everywhere.

Complete Magical Meal Suggestion
What pairs better with tomato soup than grilled cheese?  The other night I used heart-shaped cookie cutters on the grilled cheese. Everyone was happy.  For a little luncheon with friends, toss a bag of Caesar salad and cook up some frozen mini quiche. Add the grilled cheese sandwiches and cupcakes for a tea party with a cozy, comfort food feel.

Enjoy!

Check back next Tuesday when Valerie Lawson will help us get into the St. Patrick's Day mood with some potato soup!

Winter Soups (and celebrations!): Wonton Soup and Chinese New Year

I instantly liked Ashley Riherd when I met her at a group playdate. She loves her family. She loves parties. She blogs about both at The Riherds (eating Cheetos) Even though we've only met in person a handful of times, her presence in my life has been a blessing.  

Families are created in a variety of ways. Ashley's family of three knew another member of their family was in the world somewhere.  I read with tears of joy and pain as she honestly and bravely documented their adoption journey to their youngest daughter. She captures the emotions of a woman waiting for her child. Her faith and heart kept me returning to the blog for more. For a few glimpses of their story, follow these "adoption" links.  

Ashley joins us today for our winter blog series, and I'm so excited. She came with lots of recipes and ideas. Most of all, I'm thrilled to introduce more people to her and her blog. They're both definitely worth your time.

Ni Hao!

(Hello!)

Did you know that Friday is Chinese New Year?

No?

Well, to be honest, I probably wouldn't either if it weren't for this precious, silly munchkin.

My husband and I adopted our youngest daughter from China one year ago.

There are no words for the instant your child is placed in your arms for the first time.

There is this overwhelming sense that God planned this moment from the beginning of time.

Realizing that He is so big, yet so intricately personal.

Now before I get all mushy like a bowl of leftover lo mein, let's get to the main reason I'm guest posting:

Soup!

In honor of Chinese New Year, please allow me to share with you a simple Wonton Soup recipe.

My family is currently living in Cleveland with about 10 inches of snow on the ground and a wind chill of -17. This soup is like a Chinese version of chicken noodle soup, which is especially delicious when trudging through the winter blues.

Also, before diving into the recipe, I understand that Chinese take-out is typically very affordable, which makes it tempting to just call it in rather than dirty up your own kitchen. But I've discovered it's fun to give things a try yourself every now and then. I'll also admit there is a wonderfully strong sense of pride and accomplishment when you make 30 cute, little wontons. I hope you'll give this recipe a try...

WONTON SOUP

Serves 6-8

WONTONS:

6 oz ground pork

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP Chinese rice wine

2 teaspoons finely chopped scallion

pinch of sugar

pinch of white pepper

dash of sesame oil

30 square wonton wrappers

SOUP:

8 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 TBSP finely chopped scallion

(FYI: Wonton Wraps can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores, and you can find the other Chinese ingredients in the Asian section.)

1. For the wonton filling, mix together the pork, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, scallion, sugar, pepper, and sesame oil. Stir well. Set aside for about 20 minutes.

2. To make the wontons, place a teaspoon of the filling at the center of a wrapper. Fold the wonton in half and bring the opposite points toward each other and press the edges together with a little dab of warm water, creating a flowerlike shape. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. If you are a visual person (like me) click here to see a video on how to wrap the wontons.

3. To make the soup, bring the stock to a boil and add the salt and pepper. Boil the wontons in the stock for about 5 minutes, or until the wrappers begin to wrinkle around the filling.

4. To serve, put the scallions in individual bowls, then spoon in the wontons and soup.

MAGICAL MEAL COMBINATIONS:

A kid-friendly option for a side to your Wonton Soup -- Sushi Sandwiches!
Just take whatever you have on hand, roll it up, slice it, and hi-yah! your kiddos will think it's so cool!
Add some chopsticks (mine love these training ones) and really make it exciting.
(Sushi is actually Japanese, but I won't say anything if you don't...)

(photos from Pinterest)

Now, if you want a little more of a "grown-up" side dish to go along with your soup, let me recommend this recipe from my Bee Yinn Low's cookbook: Easy Chinese Recipes. You'll never have to go to PF Changs again. Well, unless you want a slice of their Great Wall of Chocolate. But I digress...

LETTUCE WRAPS

3 dried shiitake mushrooms
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, ground
3 fresh water chestnuts, chopped finely
2 Tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head iceberg lettuce, rinsed
1 heaping Tablespoon chopped green onion (scallion)

Seasonings:
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/4 dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 dashes white pepper

Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce:
4 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce or to taste
1 Tablespoon warm water

1. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water in a small bowl until they become soft. Squeeze the mushrooms dry with your hand, discard the stems, cut and dice the mushrooms into tiny pieces.
2. Combine the ground chicken meat, mushrooms, and water chestnuts with all the Seasoning ingredients. Marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Mix all the Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce ingredients in a small saucer or bowl. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and then stir-fry to light brown before adding the ground chicken.
5. Using the spatula, stir the chicken continuously to loosen and break up the lumps. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is cooked. Dish out and set aside.
6. Peel off each lettuce leaf from the iceburg lettuce carefully. Do not break the leaves.
7. Scoop two heaping tablespoons of the chicken and place it in the middle of the lettuce leaf. Wrap it up and dip the lettuce wrap in the Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce before eating. Garnish with green onion (scallion).

Now for dessert, I recently discovered this tasty treat:
BANANA NUTELLA EGG ROLLS
Click here to get this simply delicious recipe.

Another kid favorite:
FRUIT ROLL-UP FORTUNE COOKIES via She Knows.
I actually made these last year for Valentine hand-outs for my oldest daughter's friends.
They were a hit and super easy to make.

SPECIAL TRICKS / TRADITIONS:

Now let me be the first to say our family knows a tad bit more (or maybe not) than a Google search of "Chinese New Year traditions", but we're learning. The Chinese culture will always be a part of our family's fabric now, so we will continue to strive to learn all we can. Of course there are times I am sure we are doing everything wrong, but we have good intentions so that counts for something, right?

To give you a just a few basic tidbits about Chinese New Year, in case you're interested...

The Chinese New Year actually starts with a large meal on the Eve of the New Year. 

It just so happened that we had family visiting over this past weekend, so we decided to have our Chinese New Year's Eve meal a tad bit early. (Which worked out perfectly to feature this post!)

Chinese New Year is a two week celebration, which concludes with a lantern festival on the last day.

The main color during the entire two weeks is RED.

Oranges / tangerines are common gifts as well as red envelopes filled with money and/or chocolates and given to children.

Fireworks are lit at midnight to start the two week celebration and often set off on the final day of the lantern festival.

There are also elaborate dragon costumes and dances performed during the New Year.

Check around your local area to see if there are any events or activities planned. 

Many local libraries tend to have some scheduled events that would be fun for the whole family.

Now, before I go, one last thing...

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Winter Soups: French Onion Soup...and Quick Quiche

C'est moi a long time ago.

Bonjour!

I'm glad you dropped by my virtual potluck today because Mari Farthing is visiting. We met at the first table reading of the Listen to Your Mother OKC.  You may remember her from our summer party or her blogs at Oklahoma Women Bloggers, Music Mamas and Mari's Virtual Notebook.

Today, she brought a little bit of France with her. The recipe is fancier than I usually attempt, but it is French, and who can say non to that? Mari is nice and didn't make fun of me at all when I asked her what it meant to make an onion "sweat" and what the difference between stock and "broth" are. In case you are as challenged as I am in the kitchen, I added some links to explain these culinary quandaries further, and realized it really is pretty easy. If you already know all the cooking terminology, then skip the links and feel smug.

Bon appétit! 

I'll leave you and Mari to chat....

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago (i.e., before kids), my husband and I were blessed to live in Europe for four years, courtesy of the USAF. During this time, we were able to travel all around the continent and see as much of the world as we could. The final trip we went on was to the Normandy region of France, where we could visit places that would meet both of our wants—the landing beaches of DDay, the American WWII cemetery and Caen war memorial for him; Monet’s home in Giverny and Le Mont Saint Michel for me.

It was a gorgeous trip; as I recall it now (as one is wont to do), the weather was agreeable, the locals were gracious and still effusively thankful and happy to see Americans (which, to be honest, was something of a rarity in France). This trip stands out from all the others because it was our last time to travel before returning stateside. We still didn’t know where we were heading, so there was an excitement in the air—adventures awaited us.

On that first stop in Giverny, we had a bit of free time and stopped at a café—that’s something that Europe does with aplomb. Even the tiniest of villages has a café (or two) with character and outdoor tables that provide the best possible entertainment in the form of people watching. As we perused the menu at this café, using our limited knowledge of French language to navigate the offerings, we found the perfect lunch: French onion soup and quiche.

I realize now that perhaps I should have chosen a less perfect meal, as the soup and quiche were so well done as to eclipse all other attempts at this treat. On second thought, nah. I’ll never be sorry for that lunch eaten on the street at a café in a small town in France. I hope to someday repeat the experience!

Magical Meal Combination

I’ve since made both quiche and French onion soup in my own kitchen, and if you throw in a salad of baby greens with a mustard vinaigrette, you’ve got a pretty perfect lunch. Even better if eaten al fresco with a nice glass of wine.

Special Tricks...bonus recipe!

Quiche is very easy—I like to make it on a day when I’m also cleaning out the fridge. If I’ve got leftover eggs, leftover vegetables, some type of protein and shredded cheese? There will be quiche. 

I make mine in a muffin tin, no crust required. Spray the cups with oil, portion out your fillings and fill the cups to about ¾ full with a beaten egg mixture (about 6 eggs with a splash of milk or cream if you so desire). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so and freeze what you don’t eat.

But back to the soup! Here is a good basic recipe that I’ve put together, inspired by my dad’s recipe and celebrity chef Anne Burrell. It’s a worth-the-wait soup that has few ingredients but results in an amazingly rich soup to warm you on a cold winter’s night.

French Onion Soup

6-8 large onions, thinly sliced into rings
¾ cup red wine (something you like to drink)
4 bay leaves
small bunch of fresh thyme
2 quarts of chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and add the onions. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and stir well. Turn heat on medium, cover and let onions (I used half white and half yellow because that’s what I had) sweat for about 15-20 minutes.

before the onions sweat

sweating onions

Onions should now be very soft. Cook uncovered for about an hour until onions become reduced, browned and sweet. If you’ve seen Chef Burrell make this soup, you’ve heard her assert that there is no shortcut to this; you must take the time and let the flavors develop.

Add the wine and let it reduce for about 15 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme and chicken stock. I prefer to add my stock warmed because I’m usually defrosting it when I make the soup. Simmer again for another hour or so (the soup will look somewhat purple when you start this part, but mellow out to a lovely, rich brown after cooking). Season with salt and pepper to taste (the onions do become surprisingly sweet after cooking). If the soup seems too thick, add a bit of chicken stock to thin it down a bit.

To serve, ladle soup into a stoneware bowl, top with a lovely slice of crusty bread (croutons can work here quite well), grated cheese, and broil until the cheese gets bubbly.

Bubbly cheese. That’s the magic right there.

Magic Onion Soup
served with a Malbec
& toasted ciabatta bread and brie from Whole Foods

Freeze it if you don’t eat it all right away!

Friday Favorite: Catching Fire from Hunger Games

Warning***Spoilers***

Part of me dreaded watching Catching Fire. How could Peeta's character ever be redeemed?  Then I saw the movie. Even if you are a stickler for details, believe me when I tell you it is worth watching.

Just turn off the sound and watch.

butterfly dress by Alexander McQueen

Clothes
Since a pin helped spark a revolution and a dress helped the fire grow, it seems fitting that the clothes in this movie are incredible. Cinna is one of my favorite characters, but I applaud the real designers who costumed these actors.  Somehow, the Capitol clothes don't seem quite as over-the-top as in the first movie. In fact, they simply seem couture. The audience's acceptance of their look as normal is a triumph--the creators have truly made us voyeuristic members of the Capitol. I love-love-love that Effie wore Alexander McQueen's butterfly dress. The victors, too, have stepped up their look and make quite the statement. As soon as Katniss appeared onscreen, I wanted to learn to knit or crochet or...okay, I wanted to buy this cowl/vest thing.

photo from capitol couture.pn 

Each time the victors dressed up, I wondered how many versions will be at high school proms this year? Plus, I may pick up running if I can acquire a workout version of the shirt worn in the Quell.  I can't find it, but I did find the training gear here. Hmmm. Did the franchise possibly have marketing in mind? Buy the jewelry here, including the mocking jay pin, Finnick's necklace, and Peeta's art deco pendant (cast from the actual prop).

Peeta
Even though I will forever be a Gale girl, the book convincingly argued why Katniss would be attracted to Peeta.  He was yin to her yang.  They balanced each other. She needed him as much as he needed her. Plus, it was in first person so we live the love story through the eyes of Katniss and see how she is sometimes flat-out in awe of the boy with the bread. Not so in Hunger Games movie.  Peeta was a big ol' pansy.  All of the parts where he helped them survive were tossed out to show what a badass Katniss was. And that's just annoying.

Relief filled me as Catching Fire attempted to restore Peeta's dignity a little at a time. He was intelligent.  His talent for dealing with people was reinforced. I was feeling pretty good about Catching Fire making him seem like someone she'd actually prefer to the rebellious Gale. Then, they had him pansy up again. He was stumbling, she was rescuing...Blahblahblah.

However, at least this time around, he wasn't all pathetic puppy love and weakling. Josh Hutcherson has the opportunity to win over even Gale faithfuls in the third and fourth installments. Onscreen, he has the possibility to grow and change more than any other character.

Casting
All in all, I think Catching Fire was a much better movie than the first one.  I screamed, gasped, curled up in my chair, etc.  And I've read the book three times. I've only been that crazy obsessive with one other series. Initially, Finnick wasn't quite what I'd imagined. Then I went home and read how Katniss described Finnick as "too pretty" for her tastes. Yep. The casting was right on. Now, I adore him. And I believed he'd been passed around the Capital women for almost ten years.  I absolutely loved the casting of Mags and Johanna. Perfection.

Madge
I did, however, miss characters--especially Madge. Remember the girl who gave Katniss the mockingjay pin?  The girl whose aunt died in the Quarter Quell Haymitch won?  The only girlfriend Katniss had?(What? Katniss had a friend besides Gale? Who might have even had a crush on him and been a better fit for Gale than Katniss?) No?  You must have only seen the movie.  She was cut.   By giving the pin to Katniss, Madge revealed the heart of a rebel. As the daughter of the mayor, she knew what it represented. However,  since they couldn't neuter her like Peeta they just amputated her. Peeta, Madge, Darius (what? who's he?!) were silenced as much as an Avox, preventing anyone from portraying Katniss as more of a person doing great things rather than some kind of superhero. Perhaps to cover these misdeeds, the character of President Snow's granddaughter was introduced in the movie.  Really? Really?

Extras
If you're throwing a watch party, it wouldn't be complete without this Happy Hunger Games banner.
Consider wearing this mocking jay full skirt. 


If you just can't get enough Hunger Games, check out this online magazine called Capitol Couture. See stylish pictures and insider information.  If you don't already, you'll feel just like a citizen of Panem when you peruse the pages.

Here are some other posts I've written about the Hunger Games trilogy. 

Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.

So, did the movie measure up to your expectations? What did you love or loathe? How many movie watchers plan to read the book?  

Homecoming Reunion

My children wear orange and black stripes. I want to support the town I live in, my parents' and children's hometown. I even bought a shirt with the word Tigers across the chest.

But it doesn't change the fact that my blood still runs like a Bulldog's.

Homecoming Court 1993

  I remember the dance to the fight song and am not afraid to do it.

Headed to Nationals, baby!

When I feel the bass drum of a marching band in my belly, I see red and black. When sneakers squeak on a gym floor, I remember slam dunks and three pointers and open mouthed opposing teams. When I walk in a theater, I feel at home.

Polariod taken during opening night. That look on my face? Acting. The dress? Sewn on.

When a football team rushes a field beneath a star-studded sky, I breathe deeply and wonder when the news helicopter will arrive to catch footage of our record-breaking running back and a team with heart.

That's what I remember most about my high school: heart.

When I hear someone (from another school, obviously) speak with anathema of their classmates, it saddens me. They missed out on so much. I'm not saying heartbreak and humiliation didn't happen to me or others--we were teenagers, after all--but there is so much more to treasure from those years. And the hard stuff taught me things. It was a good place to grow up because I was lucky to grow up with nice people.

And that can make all the difference.

I graduated with about 103 others.  In middle school, our class was twice that size, but closed factories, an oil bust and the economy caused a mass exodus. Maybe watching so many leave made us hold on to each other a little more.

We called ourselves The Class that Makes Traditions.  Yeah, we had a motto. We knew we were special.

10 year reunion.  Can you find me?

I missed my reunion this weekend.  Many things prevented me from attending, but on the morning of the reunion I thought the stars had aligned so that I could at least make the parade, tailgate, and game. For a couple of hours, I was ridiculously excited.

But, we had two people out at the office. Then, my daughter got sick.  Then...

I went on Facebook to wish a classmate a belated birthday. After posting a cheery message on his board, I scrolled down.

My heart stopped. My throat burned. I didn't like the messages before mine. As I sent a text to two of the reunion organizers who were probably herding classmates toward a parade float, I prayed that Jimmie was there with them. That I'd misunderstood the messages.

He wasn't.

Then I received messages from other classmates asking if I'd seen his wall and wondered the same as I.  We watched Facebook. Eventually, someone posted that he'd been in an accident that morning and had not made it.  I deleted my birthday wish and added a comment of condolences instead.

And cried.

I went to school with nice people, and we lost another one. Jimmie's smile, and orneriness, and energy will forever be a part of my memories and my life. Thank you for that, Jimmie.

And thank you to my classmates for being such a fun and loving group through the years.  Thank you for your heart.

This photo was all over Facebook. I'll give photo credit when someone fesses up.

Summer Salad Virtual Potluck Round Up

Summer is officially over which means that so is our Tasty Tuesday Summer Salad Virtual Potluck.

Don't be sad. We'll party again soon. Thanks for joining us!

Since party favors make every party more fun, I have a parting gift for you: A round up of all of the salads from the summer. Just click on the picture for the link.

 Oh boy, there were some goodies.

Jennifer McMurrain's Mac Daddy Macaroni Salad

Dee Dee Chumley's Black Bean and Hominy Salad

Brandi Barnett's Tortellini Salad

Lisa Marotta's Mama Mia Pasta Salad

Kelly Bristow's Mississippi Cornbread Salad

Heather Davis' Oh Crap! I Forgot! Salad

Tom Barczak's Summer Chicken Salad

Shel Harrington's Peach Fluff

Malena Lott's Avocado Feta Tomato Salad

Lisa Czlonka's Kalua Pig

Mari Farthing's Orzo Veggie Salad

Heather Ezell's Caprese Salad

 
I love introducing people and watching friendships form. If you haven't already, please visit my fellow bloggers on their home pages.  Who knows? You may find a new place to visit.  After all, they're fascinating people... just like you.

Thanks for coming to the party and come back soon!

Summer Salads: Lisa Czlonka

Garrett and I discussed this weekend how blessed we are to have met so many nice people in our small town. Like us, many of them are not from here but have made a home in this little community at the foothills of the Ozarks.

Lisa Czlonka is one of these people who is a looooong way from where she grew up: Hawai'i.

Lisa Czlonka

 How lucky am I to have a friend who throws luaus in landlocked Oklahoma?! Really. She had a luau for her baby girl's first birthday. 

I thought Garrett went back for seconds of the Kalua pig, but he confessed to thirds.  Thirds. Garrett. 

Ya'll, kalua pig made my taste buds hula.

Lisa offers many special tricks with this recipe that she makes it sound simple. So simple you might want to throw your own luau. If not, you'll certainly wow everyone at the next potluck.


Lisa Czlonka's Kalua Pig
 
In Hawai’i, a typical drive-in restaurant will serve plate lunches, which essentially is a meat, rice, and mac salad.  In more recent years, the mac salad can be replaced by a side salad…well maybe you could do that awhile ago, but who was counting carbs in high school?!

So, I’m taking a little liberty with the salad share and really introducing you to a Hawaiian favorite, kalua pig.  As my husband would say, "Kalua pig on any salad makes the salad better."

Magical Meal Suggestion

Keep it simple and get a premix salad. Pictured is one that includes baby spinach because I love to get the extra punch of antioxidants.  Add whatever vegetables you’d like.  If you’re going fancy, you can use a ramekin to form a border for your salad from tomatoes or cucumbers.  

The white rice can be found in the Asian section of your local grocer.  You could replace this with brown rice to be healthier, but I’m just trying to introduce you to the traditional way it’s served in Hawaii.  Loading your fork or chopsticks with a little rice and kalua pig makes a nice flavor balance.   

But enough talk, let’s get to the recipe…and no it doesn’t involve digging a huge hole in your backyard, though traditionally a full pig is cooked in an underground oven called an imu (pronounced EE-moo).

 

Kalua Pig (~24 servings)

8 lbs. bone in pork butt (shoulder)

3.5 oz. liquid smoke

4 T Hawaiian salt

Oven Bag

Make sure your rack is set on the lowest level in your oven.  Preheat oven to 350. 

If your pork has a thick layer of fat, be sure to trim as much off as possible.  Or better yet, if you can remember when you're at the store, ask the butcher. 

With a paring knife, score the pork on all sides and then rub with the Hawaiian salt; use enough to cover all sides.  Don’t try to use imitation salt. I did once and it turned out bad.  If your local grocer doesn’t carry Hawaiian salt, ask and they may bring it in or go with the good ol' Amazon.  Put the pork in the oven bag and dump in the liquid smoke.  Make sure all sides get covered by turning the pork over in the bag.   

Blow air into the bag and close with the tie provided. I recommend cutting the excess bag so that you leave only a couple inches above the tie, as the bag will expand in the oven and you don’t want the bag to touch the top of the oven and melt.  

Place bag in a shallow roasting pan and cook for 4 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit and then shred the pork (you can use two forks).  Pour some of the liquid from the bag over the pork, which is really important in helping not to dry out the meat in case you want to freeze leftovers.

Aloha!


Check back this Friday for a give away that will keep you in the spirit of the islands.

Hint: 

Wailani's Body Scrub