Seguritans-SanJose Home

Chocolate and White Chocolate Rice Pudding

2011-10-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Trying to figure out how to make white chocolate taste like something beside vanilla...it's really a no go, but whatever. And just so you know, in my endeavor to make it taste like white chocolate, I used too much and the rice pudding wasn't as thick as it usually is. That being said, nothing wrong with experimenting in the kitchen. Basic recipe is from Ina Garten -

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/rum-raisin-rice-pudding-recipe2/index.html

But I don't like rum raisin so I tried to figure other flavors - I like my macadamia nut and coconut recipe, but Paul doesn't like it, so I'm trying other flavors.

Here are the culprits...there was also supposed to be sugar in the pic...eh *shrug*

Cooking the rice for 8 minutes in just water and kosher salt, covered.

Getting the chocolate ready for the rice - the wet stuff is the vanilla paste.

Added the half-and-half to the rice - bring to boil then simmer uncovered 25 minutes.

Tempering the egg with some of the rice pudding.

Mixing the egg into the rice pudding and cooking for about a minute.

Mixing the rice pudding in with the milk chocolate chips.

Mixing the rice pudding in with the white chocolate chips. Used way too many chips.

Still tasted alright. I will try again :)

What to do with leftovers...Think...Think...Think, Pasta again?

2011-10-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Really, when you have a bunch of leftover stuff from making other dinners, what else are you gonna make? I had; mushrooms, grilled chicken, patty-pan squash, spinach, gruyere and Parmesan cheese - sounds like pasta to me.

Wedged the patty-pan squash - my Mom thought they were cute and just had to have them and she insisted on whole wheat pasta. Just a tip with whole wheat pasta - cook it 2 - 3 minutes longer than instructed on the box - that way you get a more acceptable al dente.

The sauce was just a little cream and 1 cup each, grated Parmesan and gruyere.

Wasn't too bad for leftovers.

Stuffed Pasta Shells

2011-08-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Yes...this is a NEW POSTING!!!! WHAT?!!! And I don't even have all the steps in pictures, LOL!

Stuffed Pasta Shells is your basic lasagne recipe but just a little bit more fancy.

For the sauce - make your basic marinara with or without Italian sausage. I have to feed Paul...so there is always meat :)

The shells you of course boil first to al dente. Drain and stuff with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan and chopped Italian parsley...all fresh of course. Nicely line them all up in your prettiest 9x13 pan that has a layer of white sauce.

Slather on top of the shells your marinara sauce, then layer the remaining white sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake 350º until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with freshly baked french bread and a wedge salad...I'm so into wedge salads right now. Enjoy!

Recipes:

Italian Sausage Marinara Sauce (this is just guesstimating - I just go with the flavor I want at the time)

1/2 pound Italian sausage
1/2 Sweet Onion (chopped)
1 tsp each - Oregano (dried), Basil (dried), Rosemary (dried)
OR 1 Tbs each - Oregano (fresh), Basil (fresh), Rosemary (fresh)
1/4 cup Italian Parsley (fresh - chopped)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic (minced) optional
1 tsp fennel seeds
1-14.5 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 - Brown meat with onion. 2 - Add all herbs and spices. 3- Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. 4 - Cover and simmer on very low flame for at least 15 minutes or longer.

White Sauce

3 Tbs Butter
3 Tbs Flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
1/4 cup Italian Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 - Melt butter and add flour (if using fresh garlic - put it in here), stirring constantly until fully mixed and slightly golden brown. 2 - Slowly whisk in milk until thickened. This is where you will adjust the milk content until it's as thin or thick as you want it to be. 3 - Whisk in rest of ingredients. Bring to slight boil for at least one minute, stirring CONSTANTLY!

Shells and Cheese Stuffing for Shells - just use the recipe on the box.

Boxing Day Dinner

2010-12-29T00:14:00.000-08:00

The beginning of any good meal starts with the making of croissants.

Because there were only four of us, we decided to make just a turkey roulade - recipe by Ina Garten. She's awesome. I have every single one of her cookbooks!

Cooked and yummy!

The roulade is stuffed with a fig and cranberry stuffing - it's delicious!

All pretty on the plate!

I totally forgot to buy green beans! I had tomatoes and mushrooms in the fridge, so I did roasted tomato gratin stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, shallots and herbs de provence. Not, bad. Actually, I think they were the best part of the meal :)

Baked a turkey thigh for my Dad because he doesn't like turkey breast.

Boxing Day Dinner! Hooray! and Delicious!

Tonight For Dinner...

2010-11-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight for dinner, I decided to use up some stuff I had in the freezer and fridge. I also, picked up some stuff from the ward thingy. I actually tried jicama for the first time today - it's alright. I don't think I would ever crave it though.

So, here's my leftover whatever is in the fridge and freezer meal. In the left corner is one of those cool round zucchinis stuffed with chicken stuffing and sauteed portobello mushroom.

Chicken wrapped in phyllo dough leftover from a berry tart I made yesterday. There is a layer of some more sauteed portobello mushrooms with creme fraiche between the phyllo and chicken. Homemade mashed potatoes (before the potatoes go bad) with yummy homemade gravy just from a leftover half can of chicken stock with shallots and thyme, salt and pepper and a little bit of cream to smooth it out.

The carrots were YUMMY! They are orange glazed carrots, because I have a little leftover orange juice and wanted the container out of the fridge and into the trash. Just sauteed the carrots with butter, salt and pepper, then poured in the orange juice and let it reduce to a glaze. It was a delicious meal for a bunch of leftover, get rid of this and that type of meal.

Halloween Rice Krispie Sushi

2010-11-07T22:59:00.000-08:00

So, hilarious. I don't dress up for Halloween, traumatic experience as a child...so I decided to dress up my rice krispie treats for Halloween. Basically it's rice krispies, used as the "rice" in a fruit roll up with different colored twizzlers. I have no idea how they tasted, but it couldn't have been good. I got the idea from a Martha Stewart magazine I think...could have been Country Woman. And the "soy sauce" is chocolate sauce. Hilarious!

Croissant French Toast

2010-10-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

So, a while back, maybe in 2003 or 2004 Paul wanted French toast and I didn't have any bread except some leftover croissants - I thought, why not? So I did :)

It's not too difficult. Slice the croissant where the tips come together all the way to the back but not through, like a hot dog bun :) Make your basic custard to dip the croissant into. I use eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, pinch of Kosher salt and cinnamon as an after thought. Open croissant up and dip both sides in custard then griddle on both sides. Fold back together again and then you can put whatever you want in the middle like stuffed french toast.

We used fruit, homemade syrup and a cream cheese filling. For the cream cheese filling, I used: 8 oz cream cheese way softened, 6 oz creme fraiche, 1/4 cup sugar and a touch of vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix up. Yum!

Paul's Happy Birthday Dinner....Happy Birthday Paul!

2010-10-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

I love watching cooking shows, although I don't do it so often. I'm into this show on the Cooking Channel, French Food at Home with Laura Calder. I was watching and Paul was fiddling with one of his laptops. Laura made a Boeuf en Croute. He stopped fiddling and said, "That's what I want for my birthday dinner." This was Friday night, I shrugged and thought, yeah I can do that, simple.

So, we picked up a tenderloin roast.

Gotta salt, pepper and brown it. Cover with foil and cool way down.

Then in the same pan used for the browning of the tenderloin, saute shallot and cremini mushrooms, with thyme and a bay leaf. I didn't have a shallot, which for the life of me, have no idea where they went, because I'm sure I have some, someplace. They're probably in the pantry with a bag of chips or something. Anyways, I used leeks instead.

Finish off the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of beef broth, Italian parsley and creme fraiche. Put into a bowl and stick in the freezer for a little bit, until it's cool. You have to put it on phyllo dough, so everything should be coldish.

Lay out the bed of mushrooms and place the beef on top of it, then another sheet of phyllo dough.

Brush all over with one egg yolk and press edges together with a fork or whatever, just make it look pretty.

Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. While baking, start your sides. I did a reduction of beef and chicken broth with thyme, bay leaf and leeks - then strained. Herb new potatoes. Sauteed asparagus over high heat, seasoned with salt and pepper with white truffle oil. And kale with bacon and onions.

Plate and serve! Then have the birthday boy do the clean up :)

Chicken Piccata....Caroline Style....

2010-10-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

I love different types of lemon chicken - this one came out of a Barefoot Contessa cookbook by Ina Garten. You brown the chicken then finish the cooking in the oven while you make the sauce.

The sauce is just your basic reduction of lemon juice and chicken stock, salt and pepper. You don't need a lot of sauce because the lemon is so strong. Paul and I decided that we like it sweet, so I added an equal amount of sugar as the lemon juice...much better.

As a side I used vermicelli with just a touch of white truffle oil and finished with Italian parsley and thinly sliced lemon.

Guava Cake

2010-10-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I found out about a bakery in San Jose called Aki's Bakery. They are sort of a Hawaii type bakery that has all the cakes we used to eat in Hawaii. Guava, Passion Fruit, Dobash, Mango...etc, etc, etc. YUM!!!

We looked the place up on yelp.com and found out that you gotta get there early or all the good stuff is gone. Just like in Hawaii! We got up at 6:30am and were on their doorstep by 7am.

We served the cake at our BYU football game party. It was so delicious!

Pasta con sugo allo Zafferano

2010-08-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Brother Keeley gave us some tomatoes from his garden and I needed to do something with them. I wanted it to be creative and I needed to do something with the saffron left over from the chicken bouillabaisse. So I made up a recipe. Yum! The sauce is so rich and flavorful. Anyways...

If you have fresh tomatoes, parboil for 10 to 20 seconds to easily skin and then seed, chop up and toss in with some sauteed shallots and mushrooms and garlic. Push to the sides to let the water from the tomatoes easily move to the center and reduce. Toss in your favorite fresh herbs...I have Italian parsley, basil and rosemary in here. I took out half of this and saved it for another day. You don't need more than a cup of marinara for this. Do not use tomato sauce. If using canned whole or chopped tomatoes - drain first.

Make the saffron cream - 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and a pinch or two of saffron bring to boil, then simmer until reduced by half - put through sieve.

Mix it altogether and add 1/2 cup each of Parmesan Reggiano and Pecorino Romano or 1 cup of one of them, grated.

Add your cooked pasta - looking back on it, because the sauce was so rich, I think I would go with a tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta instead of the ravioli.

You'd think that the fresh basil and tomato would take over the flavor of the saffron - not in a million years. Saffron is delicate but has an intense flavor to go with the intense color.

Tongan Missionary Luau

2010-07-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Well this is the third post today. Mom, I love you and hope that you appreciate this, because sitting here is killing my back. I love you Mom!

Typical Tongan luau, there was suckling pig on every table, which kinda freaked out our friends from the WG ward. It was hilarious. There was also, lobster, mussels, fried chicken, fresh corned beef, palusami, boiled taro and tapioca, octopus salad and lots of other things that I can't remember. It was fun and funny to watch some people try to figure out what things were. Good times :)

Pork Butt.

Polynesian Things

2010-07-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Paul and I were looking around for Hawaiiany type things to do. And there are definitely a lot of them around, here are a couple that we decided to go too.

First we went up to the Marin County Fair to see some amazing Hawaiian performers. It was fun and we had a great time.

The next week we were able to make it up to Fremont to go to a hula halau fundraiser, so they could go to the Merry Monarch Competition on the Big Island of Hawaii. The food was ok and the dancing was dismal. But, it was fun to be with a bunch of Hawaiians having a good time. Luckily it was in a park that didn't allow alcohol, so it was good clean fun.

Here's Paul with a Strawberry shaved ice. The didn't have blue vanilla which is my favorite. Sad times. I just have to go back to Hawaii and get me a shaved ice.

Camping

2010-07-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

It's Summer, and that means camping. I love camping...or I used to until I hurt my back in Feb/Mar. It's still fun though. Sitting up late around a campfire, playing the ukulele and singing songs, talking story with friends. It's all good times.

Here we are setting up camp at our Ward Camp Out.

Paul set up and I started cooking our dinner on our new camp stove. We gave away our other one when we moved from Provo to San Jose, so of course we needed a new one.

Camping was fun and it was nice to get out and cook outside :)

Anything you can do, I can do better!

2010-05-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

Anything you can do, I can do better. Anything you can do, I can do better than you! LOL! So, I went to my Pacesetter's Luncheon, and we had a yummy lunch. Anytime I have a yummy lunch I always look at it and try to figure out how to make it.

So, that's just what I did. While out on my hunt for the best May strawberries I found some leeks and fresh looking oyster mushrooms. Have you ever seen better looking leeks? Look at all that white stem!

This dish also made me move out of my comfort zone to make buerre blanc. Butter whipped into submission with shallots etc. So, my buerre blanc which was colored with the slight pink of the shallots on the bottom. Then chicken breast stuffed with leeks, mushrooms and in this case Parmesan cheese (because that's what I had), rolled in bread crumbs and baked for an hour. I finished it off with mashed potatoes and freshly cut chives. It was delicious. It's a recipe to remember - that's for sure!

Strawberry Jam!!!

2010-05-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I hit some of the Farmer's Markets in the Bay Area to find the best strawberries. I think we found them and that only means one thing to me....It's jam time!

It doesn't take to long to make the Fresh Frozen Strawberry Jam - I think from start to finish it took an hour.

And then you end up with containers filled with deeply jeweled ruby deliciousness.

Mother's Day Boxes :)

2010-05-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Paul came home 3 weeks ago from Church and said that he was in charge of the Mother's Day gifts to hand out at Church. I looked at him and asked, "Well how much is budgeted?" It wasn't much. I had an idea, but knew I would have to find the stuff at the right price. So, we called my box and paper savvy sister-in-law and asked for a great website to find inexpensive boxes. She led us to PaperMart which had these awesome ballotin boxes which I knew would be perfect! It's probably my favorite shaped box, if you can have a favorite shaped box.

I saved up my 40% off coupons for Michael's Arts and Crafts and got the rest of the stuff there - the chocolate came from Costco and See's - but we got the gift cards for the See's at Costco - we were under budget when we finished :) I'm actually vacillating about that - I'm not a big fan of budgets.

Here are the chocolates!

Of course, I wanted to have all See's candies and Godiva chocolates - but budget, budget, budget. They were cute though - I like having ideas - they're fun! Mom, if you were here I would give you one also! I love you lots and hope that you had a great day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! It's been a great day here in the Seguritan home! Here's the story :) Paul was supposed to make me breakfast this morning, steak and eggs. But last night I had this dream - it was a dream about a hash brown omelet, lol! So we decided to split the jobs.

*Side note - a while back Paul said something to me that has stuck with me forever (at least 2 months - and that feels like forever :)). He said, "Caroline" it's rare that he actually says my name it's how I know he's serious, anyways, "Caroline, you need to stop living in theory and start living in reality." So, since I dreamed this "recipe" I had to put it into reality. Although, this is not what he was talking about.

So, the first mistake I made led to a frittata. LOL! Next time I try this out (next Saturday) I will cook the eggs separately.

I had to flip this behemoth, luckily I'm relatively good at this. Then I added the cheese, sauteed mushrooms and onions and bell peppers. I didn't have any tomatoes - which by the way, if anyone is growing any and needs to rid of them - please let me know, I'll take them off your hands - especially if they're heirloom :)

So, this is what they ended up as. Next time I will cook the eggs separately and slide them gently over the crisply browned hash browns, then the cheese and other fillings and I prefer the French three fold to the American half fold. Anyways, it was still a great breakfast, it just wasn't what I had dreamed of. (That's what Paul had meant about reality - enjoying life even though it doesn't live up to my theories).

My Week & Chicken Bouillabaisse

2010-04-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Well this week has been a pretty tough one. I severely hurt my back and have been under house arrest by my body for the past week. Paul had to stay home also with me. For the first couple of days I couldn't get up, walk and other things without him. Luckily he helped me find an awesome chiropractor and now I've come down from a 10 on the pain scale to a 4 on the pain scale. I still can't sit for more than a couple of minutes, but I'm on my way to recovery!

I do thank Paul for all his help. Seriously, he is an amazing, caring and patient husband. Thanks for staying home with me to help me through everything! I love you!

Anyways as you can imagine I've had lots of time to stand and read while Paul worked from home. What do I like to read? Cookbooks! I found a recipe for chicken bouillabaisse and today I was well enough to try it out. Paul got the shopping done for me yesterday. The shopping included Saffron! I have never used saffron, it's so expensive and I just never had recipes which called for it...however $16 and 1 oz later....tah dah!

So it started with cutting up a nice little whole chicken. It had been so long since I've done it. It took me 5 whole minutes! Salt, pepper and fresh rosemary.

On to browning!

Next I needed to add my whole garlic, saffron, salt and pepper and a little more rosemary.

De-glaze with chicken stock (recipe called for a dry white wine and pernot - however I don't cook with alcohol - so yep). Then add a can of tomato puree. Couldn't find tomato puree, so we went with crushed tomatoes in tomato puree :) Simmered for 45 minutes on the stove top. Pureed everything in a blender, poured back into pan then added the chicken and a few Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced.

Brought everything to a boil, covered and stuck it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. The recipe said 45 minutes at 300 degrees, but I'm guessing they had a convection oven - because I did mine for that long, then hiked up the oven to 375 degrees for another 45 minutes and the 1/4 inch sliced potatoes were finally cooked al dente.

Anyways I served it with rice and it was yum!

I'm going back to work tomorrow...wish me luck and let's hope that I can sit down for more than 3 minutes at a time! Love to all!

Egg Salad Sandwich Memories

2010-03-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

So, you know how food usually has memories attached to it. Well I have memories of egg salad sandwiches. They're kinda weird, but I thought about them today as I made lunch and thought I'd share them with all of you :)

My favorite memories of these sandwiches are at funerals. I remember watching my Mom in the kitchen boiling up dozens and dozens of eggs and then we'd help her peel them, making sure there were no shells in them. Then she'd put them through her Cuisinart food processor (which she still has - it's gotta be at least 20 years old). We'd help spread the egg salad on bread then we'd slice them in half - I always preferred the diagonal cut, but sometimes it was just down the middle, then we'd pile them high in a Hawaiian Sun soda box.

Sometimes we'd just drop the sandwiches off at Church or we'd have to stay. When we'd get to stay, a bunch of us kids would hang out around the kitchen waiting for the Relief Society to start putting out the egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches and fill up the 5 gallon jug with Strawberry Malolo juice. We'd try to find the best made sandwiches that had the most Best Food's Mayo - cause those were juicy yummy! Man, those were the days...and as far as I know, those are still the days on my little island in the middle of the great Pacific Ocean. Awesome times...even at funerals.

Where Do I Belong? (to the tune of Love Story)

2010-02-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking, where do I belong? Do I belong anywhere? I know I belong in certain places, home with Paul, with my family. But sometimes there are places I want to be, but fear to tread the unknown. If I get involved I become attached and I smother and mother hen. It has taken me so long to get over that, that I've gone to the other end of the spectrum where I almost completely shut out any emotion. I realized this problem this week when a situation happened at work and the first thing I thought about was myself and how it was going to screw up the rest of my day, no concern for situation, just how it was going to affect me.

On reflection it's really sad and unfortunate that's why I'm going to put fear aside and do what I need to do, to get back on the right track. It's gonna happen people, just wait and see. Be prepared for something different - the transition might be rough but, I will do this - even if I have no idea how...a start is a start.

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2010-02-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Isn't Groundhog's Day the best?! I made these little fellas to take to work. They were yummy and fun!

I followed this http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/groundhog-day-cupcake-685681/ sort of. But you know, not everything can turn out how you want it too :)

Spur of the Moment Trip to AZ

2010-01-23T22:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, I realize it has been quite a while since I've blogged - not that anyone is reading it...however I was just thinking back to a couple weeks ago and this is what I thought.

Couple Thursdays ago, Paul and I were out for our evening constitutional and he was saying that his parents were now in AZ visiting his brother's family, because their oldest was getting baptized. Paul sighed and wished he could go see his Mom and the rest of his family. I said, "We can leave work early tomorrow and drive down." Paul said that was a great idea but not plausible...

Friday I get an email from Paul around 1pm saying that he has decided that he wants to go to AZ. I email him back and say ok - I can leave around 2pm, pack our stuff and pick him up from work between 3pm-4pm.

I know the following paragraph is gonna sound like I'm bragging, but I don't care, I can't believe how it all worked out.

I left work at 1:45pm (by the time my Thursday was over I had worked 47 hours that week - so I didn't really mind leaving early from work). I got home at 2pm...on my drive home I replayed in my head what I was going to do, so I would be ready.

I started rice - because no road trip for us is complete without musubi. I went to the bedroom and started packing everything on Paul's list which he emailed to me. I packed all my clothes and our accoutrement. I then took the pillows and blankets down to the car and our bags - I also grabbed some things that Paul's nephew had left here so Paul's parents could take it back to Hawaii with them. By this time it was 2:50pm. It took me about 10 minutes to finish up the musubis and pack them and some other snacks, washed up the dishes and completely forgot to take out the trash - which was ok, nothing too bad in it.

I changed into my traveling clothes (track suit :) and shoes) got into the car. I had to drop some stuff over at our friend's home for them to take to church. I drove quickly over to the store to pick up some fried chicken to go with the musubi, stopped by the bank for some traveling cash and headed up in rush hour traffic to Milpitas to pick up Paul. Got there in an amazing 20 minutes...Paul hopped into the car and off we went!

Seriously just typing this makes me tired - but the adrenaline was going and it was so much fun doing something so spontaneous (for us). We drove all night switching off, we went around L.A. and headed through Blythe to AZ - we got there around 3am and parked and slept in the car (we didn't want to wake the kids in the house). 7:30am we knocked on the door and said, "Hello."

The baptism was great...Congratulations Jada! We got to hang out with Paul's family had good times then Sunday morning we drove back to reality.

We had so much fun! Thank you everyone for making it so :) We love you all!

(I did forget the camera...so no pics...and I think it's broken too...oh well).

Winter and Soup!

2009-11-28T23:35:00.000-08:00

Winter and soup! Go together like PB and J, Christmas and tree, Eskimos and igloos, penguins and the North Pole...scratch that one :)

I love soup! Paul does not think soup is a meal and stew is pushing it - so I don't get to make it very often. Whenever I think soup I always think of my Mom making corn chowder with spam and that it's way delicious. I always think...mmmm corn chowder! And then I make this instead :)

One of my favorites comes from Olive Garden their Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Soup) - while messing about I was able to figure out a sort of recipe for it and then found some back up recipes online. However this is a way easy soup with very basic ingredients and the flavor doesn't change much even if you throw everything in and hope for the best - so don't worry! It's easy and delicious!

1 - Brown 1 lb Italian Sausage in heated oil.

*Add a little extra fennel seed if you've got it. I love fennel seeds!

Use your favorite kind of sausage. I do not have this luxury anymore, because the best ground Italian sausage I've ever tasted was from Macey's in UT. Go figure.

2 - Scrub up 2 russet potatoes and slice 1/4 inch thickness (I like lots of potato, so I use three).

3 - Add two 15oz cans of chicken stock - or use homemade (YUM!). Cover pot with lid and let come to gentle boil to cook potatoes.

*If you've used three potatoes, you're gonna want to use more chicken stock or just add water and bouillon cubes. Just use however much to barely cover the potatoes.

4 - Rinse thoroughly many times your favorite collard green - take all ribs off and make sure they're very clean - greens are notorious for hiding grubs and mud.

*I use mustard greens to cut down cooking time, but you could use kale which actually takes as long as the potatoes - so you would put the kale in with the potatoes. If using mustard greens put in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time for the potatoes.

5 - Put greens in soup and cook!

6 - Yum it's cooked! So now you add the heavy whipping cream. Just put in enough to make it white - 1/2 cup to 1 cup. I just pour and look.

7 - While it's warming back up, skim off the fat from the sausage.

8 - Plate and serve with warm buttered french bread.

Can I just say again YUM!

Making my list....

2009-11-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

Hello family! Here is my annual Christmas list :) Money is always great too... this is in no particular order.

Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven

Le Creuset 5-Qt Braiser

Complete Set of Ruffoni Hammered Stainless Steel pots and pans

Wusthof Classic Ikon 22-Piece Knife Block

Peugeot Chateauneuf Salt and Pepper mills

Trinity de Cartier Fountain Pen

Tiffany Keys fleur de lis

Jack Arnold Old Romantics Designs

Louis Vuitton Tivoli PM

Louis Vuitton Tivoli GM

Rosemary and Thyme Complete Series

Jane Austen's Persuasion 2007

Faberge Egg: Lilies of the Valley Rose Quartz Egg

Faberge Egg: Imperial Lilies of the Valley Musical Egg

Hawaiian Quilt

Cottage in England

Silver Honda Pilot 4WD Touring

Animaniacs DVDs

Janacek: The Eternal Gospel CD

Globe or Gemstone Globe

A Years subscription to Consumer Reports (Magazine)

I've had this list for around 12 years - adding and taking things off as I get them. So far I've taken off 9 things from my list which I've gotten. I'm crossing my fingers! Paul says I'm so funny.

But here's his list :)

Kamaka Ukulele Tenor Four String HF-3 with Fishman pickup and custom low action

Marshall AS50D 50w 2x8 Acoustic Guitar Combo Amp

Making A Good Old Fashioned Pot Roast

2009-11-22T20:55:00.001-08:00

Every time I make a pot roast, I always do something different. I try to figure out how to improve it. I've done it so many ways, in a roasting pan, in a plastic bag in a roasting pan, in a crock pot...I could go on but won't.

All the previous times before, I would cook the carrots, celery and potatoes together with the meat. But, in doing that they're more mushy or like boiled vegetables, I'm not too big on that. I like my potatoes actually roasted with a little bit of olive oil, thyme, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper - can't do that while it's in with a pot roast.

So, this is what I tried this time - it was delicious!

Of course you have your basic mirepoix (mixture of diced carrots, celery and onion - some chefs call this the holy trinity - kinda sacrilegious - so Mirepoix it is). I've also added leeks to this, because there were some amazing looking leeks in the store and they begged to come home to my kitchen :)

Paul bought me an awesome large pan, that can go from the stove top to the oven. I recommend getting one for your kitchen http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/283150/?cm_src=hero I recommend this type. I have several key pieces I need for my kitchen and they're amazing!

Ok - So I preheated my pan with some olive oil and canola oil, tied my meat up added a little kosher salt and pepper, browned each side 3-5 minutes, then I also browned the edges. I moved the meat to the side and slightly sauteed the mirepoix and leeks with a little bit of butter and a clove of garlic, minced. Deglazed the pan with some chicken stock. Added the roast back into the pan on the bed of veggies with some fresh thyme sprigs. Covered and cooked in the oven at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

The last half hour I put in the oven on the bottome rack a baking sheet loaded with large cubes of potatoes which were peeled and lightly covered with olive oil, sea salt, thyme and freshly cracked pepper. After I took the roast out of the oven, I shifted around the potatoes and put them back in the oven while the roast rested for another 10 minutes.

I took the roast out of the pan along with the sprigs of thyme and placed it on a serving platter covered it with foil. For the gravy, I used my awesome everyday food blender http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku9968108/?pkey=celectrics-cuisinart|eltcuifod which Paul got me for my half birthday to blend up the mirepoix and leeks. I put all the left over liquid in a bowl so I could make my roux in my awesome pan added the liquid back in with the last of my chicken stock. I then added the blended up mirepoix and leeks to the gravy for a bonus thickener. Tasted it for salt and pepper.

So, I finally got my wish: lovely roasted potatoes, yummy real roasted pot roast, freshly made rice and gravy that's so deliciously flavorful. Now, to try to beat perfection - next time I'm gonna try to sneak in parsnips or turnips with the potatoes, carrots and summer squash....mmmmmmmm.

Croissants Part I

2009-11-22T20:38:00.001-08:00

Okay - so part of Thanksgiving for my family are the croissants. They're a big part actually. My Mom still makes these and takes them to some of our close family friends. Some of them don't even start their meal until the croissants are there, lol!

They're all sorts of wonderful for the leftover turkey sandwiches....a little warmed turkey, stuffing and gravy gently placed on the sliced in half croissant, add a little homemade cranberry sauce and a good layer of sprouts......YUM!

If you want the actual recipe - ask. It is a little labor intensive, but if you're up to it - go for it!

Get your flour ready with the sugar and salt. In a separate bowl get your warm milk and yeast going.

Get your preliminary mixing done with the paddle attachment.

Once you get to the serious mixing, you're gonna wanna switch out to your dough hook attachment. Mix in the flour one cup at a time.

After all 4 cups of flour are kneaded in, make sure that your dough is a very soft dough.

Put in a bowl and let rise for the first time about 1 1/2 hours.

Croissants Part II

2009-11-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

Ok - so now your dough has risen for the first time about 1 1/2 hours - it looks good!

Roll it out into a rectangle - rectangles will be key throughout the whole process :)

You're gonna layer your rolled out butter now into the dough. I roll out two sticks (1 cup) of almost room temperature butter between two sheets of waxed paper, stick it back in the fridge, until the dough is ready for you. Remove one layer of waxed paper, place that side down on the dough. Take off the last layer of waxed paper.

Now, you're ready to fold into layers, as shown. Do this in thirds.

Fold this in thirds. Flatten out and fold in thirds again. So you've done it three times. Which is great, because you want layers of butter to make your croissants flaky.

Fold up nicely and place in bowl to raise for the second time for at least 1 1/2 hours out on the counter, or three or more hours in the fridge.

Croissants Part III

2009-11-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

After rolling out the dough, cut dough into rectangles with floured pizza cutter. Then cut into triangles.

Roll each triangle starting with the longer edge, roll towards the pointy tip. Let raise for the third time for at least 1/2 an hour. Then bake 400 degrees or 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes

Tahdah! Yummy, buttery, flaky croissants :)

Prep for Thanksgiving - Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-15T21:27:00.001-08:00

This is a recipe for Sundance Mashed Potatoes. Now the Sundance recipe calls for all red potatoes. But red potatoes have a lower amount of starchy gluteny type stuff - you want starchy gluteny type stuff to make good fluffy mashed potatoes - so 2/3 of the potatoes were russetts and 1/3 were reds. So 12 potatoes - if using all red, you're gonna need maybe 12-15 of the large ones. Cover in cold water while you're prepping them (peeling and cutting).

Cut them up to pretty much the same size and cover in cold water and salt (kosher) liberally. Bring to boil and cook until tender, but not weird tender - I don't know how to explain it but don't overcook - so you release all the starch from the potatoes, you want the starch!

In a separate pan heat 4-6 minced garlic cloves, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup chopped FRESH thyme, 1/3 cup BUTTER, 2 cups FRESH corn (or canned, NOT Frozen unless it's the yummy Costco kind), kosher salt and pepper to taste. Heat so butter melts but do not bring to boil or even a simmer.

Drain potatoes and mash in the liquid mixture - try not to get the corn in until the last. You're probably not going to use all of the liquid, but definitely use all the corn and stuff. I forgot to take a picture after I put it into the serving dish, but it was pretty with the melted butter on top. Yummy!

Anyways, on Thanksgiving Day, you could make these 2-3 hours ahead (or any mashed potatoes) then set them in a double boiler (I just put them in a tempered glass bowl and set them over the pan with water that I just cooked them - the steam cleans the pot nicely for me) - cover with foil and set the flame on very low and let them sit until you're ready for them! They won't get all weird and clumpy like homemade mashed potatoes, usually do.

*Note - Sundance Mashed Potatoes recipe comes from Sundance, UT from the Foundry Grill - it is a recipe that they've discontinued a while ago, but it's still way delicious. If the corn freaks you out, then just do the other stuff, that alone is very delicious!

For Kaija

2009-11-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

I got this from "The Latter-day Saint Woman: Basic Manual for Women, Part A" lesson 13 and they had quoted History of the Church, 4:606-7.

We also honor the priesthood when we treat our husbands with the same gentleness, kindness, and love they should maintain as bearers of the priesthood. The Prophet Joseph Smith counseled the Relief Society to "teach women how to behave towards their husbands, to treat them with mildness and affection. When a man is borne down with trouble, when he is perplexed with care and difficulty, if he can meet a smile instead of an argument or a murmur - if he can meet with mildness, it will calm down his soul and soothe his feelings; when the mind is going to despair, it needs solace of affection and kindness".

Unless you're talking about the one from Elder Packer's talk printed in the Ensign, Feb 1972 - "He needs to know, he needs to be told that you care about the gospel as deeply as you do and that you care about him infinitely more because of the gospel and what it means to you. Let him know that your goodness as a wife and as a mother, as a sweetheart and as a companion in love, grows from your testimony of the gospel."

Hmm...

2009-11-08T17:42:00.001-08:00

Not much to say, so I'll say - Hey everyone! Happy Belated Halloween and hope all is well :)

Happy Birthday Paul James!

2009-10-11T08:52:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Paul James! I'm so glad that you were born! All the mushy stuff I'll save to tell you in person :) I love you!

OK!

2009-10-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Okay all...these next few months shouldn't be as busy on Sundays and Saturdays anymore...so be expecting invitations for dinner and please come with your best stories to entertain us.

Sunday Dinner Dilemma

2009-08-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

Grilled pork chops, oven roasted rosemary potatoes with sauteed shallots, corn, rice and yummy gravy made from the pork drippings. Now here's the dilemma....

There was no one to share it with. Paul and I have lived here for a little over a year now and we just don't have people over for dinner. When we lived in UT, it was just the normal thing that someone would invite themselves over for dinner. Someone from the ward, family or friends from back home. They would just call me or Paul and ask, "What are we having for dinner on Sunday?" And we would always reply, "What would you like?" That doesn't happen here.

I guess we just don't have that type of relationship with people here. Maybe it's because we're not as involved with the ward as we were back in UT. And we didn't work as much whilst in college. After our 50-70 hour work weeks I guess it's more difficult. And to tell you the truth we aren't very entertaining people. Maybe we should make more of an effort. I'm just not used to making an effort, I'd rather just cook and have someone entertain me. So if people want to come and "sing" for their supper....

Taking SF by Storm

2009-08-09T21:14:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Paul decided to get me out of San Jose and make our way up to the "big city". We got up early Saturday morning and I made musubi's while Paul went and got the car washed and serviced. We made our way up to Oakland to go to the Oakland temple. We barely missed the 9am session, so hung out until the 10am started. Glad we had to wait, because we saw one of Paul's friends from BYU. It's always nice to see friends!

We changed into everyday clothes over in the Visitor's Center :) We do this all the time, it's kinda funny having the Sister missionaries greet us and try to talk to us, when we're in an out of there. Then we very slowly made our way down to San Francisco. Traffic was horrendous, it always is. We went over the Bay Bridge and that took about 1 1/2 hours.

We then had to make our way all the way across town to Presidio for the Hawaiian Festival. Which took another 1 1/2 hours. That made it about 3pm. Parking was very exciting, we got to wait in a huge line and finally got a parking space around 4pm (the Festival closed at 5pm). Paul and I waited in several different food vendor lines (not together-saved time). We got a kalua pig plate, lau lau plate, lumpia, pancit (which was not half as good Marvel's - my mother-in-laws) and cascaron (a Filipino dessert) which had too much brown sugar on it, but I wiped some off and it was delicious. It was all good! Yum!

Paul and I walked around the festival and got a couple of things. I got an ipu (dried gourd) that was decorated. Paul got some Hawaiian weapons, little ones to go on our Christmas tree. We've decided that we want a Hawaiian Christmas tree this year, and we're gonna have a big one! I love planning for Christmas...even this early! Funnily enough we stayed about 45 minutes then made our way across town to the Hilton in the financial district (which is right below Chinatown). The above and below pictures are the views from our 24th floor room. It was breathtaking! Coit Tower and Alcatraz.

We went speed sight-seeing. Luckily we had our car. We walked through a bit of Chinatown and decided to drive instead of walk all those hills. We went to Ghiradelli Square, which to be honest was very underwhelming...so they make chocolate and sell ice cream, two things I'm not very excited about.

However, Paul enjoyed the ice cream and chocolate. To be completely honest though, I did get a hot chocolate, carmel de sel or something (carmel with sea salt) it was awesome! But I don't think it was worth the $7 parking fee. We made our way down to Pier 49, got some clam chowder in a bowl from a street vendor and yucky crab cakes, but hey it's really about the experience.

We drove about seeing sights. Before we went to SF I asked Paul to look up some restaurants to visit and this was one of them. It's called Emporio Rulli, fresh Italian food. Paul of course got a pizza with prosciutto and arugula. I got the handmade gnocchi with fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella. It was so delicious, the couple next to us, ordered the same thing and they loved it too! We were all sorts of full by the time we left the restaurant around 10pm. So we took dessert (picture above) back to the hotel, mini fruit tarts and a pistachio infused panna cotta with fresh strawberries....can I say, "YUM!" one more time, for the cheap seats in the back, "YUM!"

Our whole weekend for me was relatively a surprise. I had had a difficult week before and Paul decided to surprise me with this weekend away. He planned it of course for the weekend of the Hawaiian Festival and a matinee showing of Wicked. The show was awesome! The lady playing Glinda was the understudy, but she was amazing. I think everything fell into place for her, because it seemed like it was her first standing ovation, because she cried. It was a great weekend! To be completely honest though I'd rather have been at Church. Church was great today though, good talks and my kids in Primary were good. Loves to all!

Baby Luau Moments

2009-07-26T22:05:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Paul and I ended up going to UT to help with a baby luau for my sister's little girl JB. There were several moments that I will look back on with a smile and a warm fuzzy heart feeling.

On the Friday that Paul and I got in, we went over to the church with my Dad and Jesse whom I consider the little brother I've never had...his Dad and my Dad were bestest of friends, all our summer camping trips were with them at the beach. I even remember his Mom being pregnant with him! I am so old. Anyways, while we were at the church Jesse and I sneaked into the chapel. He turned on the organ and began playing. I opened up the piano and started playing frilly stuff for his songs. It was so much fun! Jesse is self taught and I don't play half as well as he does, but I sure enjoyed it.

The next moment was Sunday morning while we were hanging out with my parents. We were discussing my job and how much I hate it, when my Dad started saying how much he was proud of me. I thought, being my Dad, he was being sarcastic. But he was serious.

He started explaining that his childhood was inundated with people who looked down on him and his family because they were so poor. When he went off to college etc, he knew that the best thing for him was to marry a haole (white person). He met my Mom and knew that she was for him. At this point I thought he was really laying it on thick (sarcasm wise) until he started crying...last time I saw my Dad do that was in 1989 at my brother's funeral...He looked over at my Mom and said how grateful he was to have her in his life, that without her he would have never been able to become the man he is today. My Mom started tearing up also as she listened to my Dad say all those wonderful things and many more things that I can't remember, but I can still feel.

I knew my parents liked each other, but until this moment I never knew how deep their love really went. Together they've endured parents dying, raising children in poverty and in wealth, difficult callings in our church, seeing children leave them in ways they could not possibly have imagined, caring for each other in illness and in health, watching each other grow older as well as their children, feeling blessed as they see their grandchildren growing up, wondering how time went so quickly.

In the world we live in now I am so grateful that I have this example of joy in my life.

Helaman 5:12....."remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Thanks Mom and Dad for basing your relationship and our family on something more than a whim and things of the world. Loves, hugs and kisses!

Piano Solo for My Mom

2009-07-13T00:13:00.001-07:00

Well Mom we did get the piano. I played something nice and short so your dial-up 1990's computer will be able to handle it. I hope :) Love you lots!

Frutta Fresca

2009-07-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well, what do you do with 8lbs of strawberries when you have a freezer full of homemade fresh frozen strawberry jam? Apparently, I tried my hand at strawberry juice or as the Mexicans would have it Fresa Fresca...something like that, how would I know?

Blend up a bunch of strawberries...that's already yum! I blended about 6 or 8 cups...I still have 5lbs of strawberries left!

Then you're gonna have to strain it, to get all the seeds out. You don't have to do that if you like seeds. I don't, so I strained it.

Mix it up with simple syrup and water or sugar and water, I don't think it matters that much. Add juice from a couple of limes. Taste it and see if you like it.

I've been to a couple of Farmer's Markets where they sell this. It's so delicious! It also brings back the memory of reading "A Girl of the Limberlost" by Gene Stratton-Porter. There is a part of the book where she offers her guests a drink compounded of different types of berries mixed with cold spring water...it sounded so delicious, I've always wanted to try it! We didn't get too many berries is Hawaii..but I ain't in Hawaii now. So now I have finally tried it out :) All I have to do now is figure out how to make dandelions with bacon!

Making Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-06-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their favorite recipe, some like them crispy, some like them soft...I like them somewhere in between. But there are basic rules in cookie making.

1-Cream together a mixture of butter/margarine and crisco with the sugar. Why a mix of fats? It makes the cookies softer. Butter doesn't hold up that well under heat, so you get a way crispy cookie. If you want a nice buttery flavor but also a soft cookie, you need something that has better heat resistance. Why cream? It also makes a softer cookie and allows the flour to evenly hold onto the fats and sugars.

2- Add your eggs and flavoring (I use vanilla). Mix, mix, mix. After mixing, DO NOT scrape down the sides, if you do that it will take a longer mixing time when you add the flour and that is the last thing you want, unless you like hard almost non-chewable cookies.

3- Sift in your flour, baking soda and salt, then dump on your chocolate chips...actually you could use almost anything here except oatmeal - white chocolate with mac nuts, chocolate chips and raisins, M&Ms, Andes Mints, Reeses Pieces, toffee...whatevers.

4- When I mix in the flour I cover my mixer with a damp kitchen towel, to keep the puff of flour contained. I mix in the flour between 10-15 seconds, anymore than that, you risk forming complex strands of gluten which is great for bread, but makes a cookie tough.

5- Here it is all mixed up. This is really the time to eat it...it's easier for me to take out the chocolate chips, which I don't like.

6- I use a 1" ice cream scoop to scoop up my dough. Because the recipe I use makes a lot of cookies, I keep a damp kitchen towel over the bowl to keep the dough moist.

7- Space your cookies nicely and put into pre-heated oven. I use 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, just until I see that they are getting firmed, but the middle is still a tad raw. I bring them out of the oven and let them sit on the cookie tray for another couple of minutes, while the pan is cooling, it is still slowly cooking the cookie but not to the point that it would get over-done.

8- Eat your warm, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with a nice tall glass of cold milk!

And yes, you're right, when my life is boring I blog about food.

Elia-Lofgreen's Visit II

2009-05-31T11:06:00.001-07:00

Jordan wanted to see scenery...he'd never been to Cali before. So we took him to see scenery :) We certainly love the coast, so that's where we took them.
This is one of the options of homes which I will allow Paul James to buy for me :) It's a tad on the small side, and I'm not sure if there's a pool, but the style is right.

JB on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. We got to see a group play their last hole, it was great and we almost got hit by a golf ball! JB had lost her shoes somehow, so she walked on the grass barefoot, which is preferable except the grass was wet and muddy and it was about 55 degrees out that day, with a wind chill. But she loved roaming free!

Michele, Jordan, Julie Beth and Kaisleigh (pronounced: Paisley with a K). Good times!

This was Kaiser's and JB's first time to the beach. Great place! We poked at crabs, anemones, star fish, opihi, pipipi, hermit crabs. It was all good times!

Thanks for visiting! Next time try to give us more warning, so we can plan better and lots more fun things to do! I enjoyed shopping with you Michele, I defintely miss having you there to tell me if something looks good or not.

I miss having family around, didn't really think I would, but I do! Come visit! Loves to all!

Elia-Lofgreen's Visit I

2009-05-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Friday morning, while I was at work, I received a phone call...
Michele: "Care, so what are you guys doing this weekend?"
Care: "Hmm, we're going to some Hawaiian concert thingy on Saturday."
Michele: "So we're thinking we're gonna come visit you for Jordan's birthday."
Care: "You'd definitely be welcomed. When?"
Michele: "We'll be there tomorrow."
Care: "Oh...great, can't wait to see you!"

Emails...
Care: "So Michele and the family are gonna be here tomorrow."
Paul: "Are you going to say 'April Fools'?"
Care: "No they're gonna be here tomorrow morning."
Paul: "Ok, make a list of the groceries you need to get in and I'll clean the house when I get home."

Of course, because it is Michele, our first meal would be sushi...yum! We went to our favorite little hole in the wall sushi place...really I don't even know what it's called, and we go twice a month! I do know that it is in Milpitas though. We got JB a bowl of rice. Poor Jordan couldn't come with us, he had to recuperate from their 12 hour drive from Utah...with two kids, under the age of 1 :)

I felt really sorry for our waitress...she had a whole bunch of mess to clean up after we left... Actually I tried to clean up most of it.

JB sure loves her rice

Saturday evening Jordan was feeling a little better and we celebrated his 24th birthday....I think it was, could have been 23rd. I don't know. I can barely remember how old I am and I don't know how old Paul is. So yeah. Great cake though. The grilled pork chops were awesome too...thanks Paul!

My First Real Tart

2009-05-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

I think that it's very important to try new things. As you know I've had issue with the making of pie crust, so making this tart for friends was a little nerve racking. But, it was (even if I do say so myself) quite good. Although it's not that difficult to follow a recipe...now.

Make the pastry cream with real vanilla and vanilla bean the day before. Most people add cognac for the flavor in addition to the vanilla, I added lemon. Also, make the crust the day before, so it will be nice and cool. This crust was more of a cookie crust.

Start layering your berries from the outside inwards. I like the two berry effect - blackberries yum! Although, I should have put golden raspberries on here also, but I opted for lemon zest, since it was also in the filling.

I then made it all shiny with melted guava jelly. Some people use apple or apricot jelly. I had guava on hand, so that is what I used. The recipe said to leave it out on the counter until time to serve (up to three hours). But I think I might have liked it a little better if it had been chilled. Next time!

Enjoy the pictures, while I enjoy the real thing :)

BYU Rugby National Champions!

2009-05-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Paul got one of those emails from BYU that said something about coming out and supporting BYU Rugby because they would be in our area. So, we looked it up, it would be at Stanford and would be the National Championship game...we thought "Why not?"

So Paul looked up rugby on the internet to see how it's supposed to by played, what positions there are, rules etc, etc.

We went a little earlier so I could go to the Stanford Mall, which is closely situated to Palo Alto, which means....nice stores. I went to Bloomingdales, Nieman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and for the first time.....
Williams-Sonoma Home!!!!

Unfortunately all the stores pretty much failed to enthral me. I couldn't believe it. I had no desire to buy anything. That is quite a feat for a store to accomplish. I did end up using the rest of my Williams-Sonoma gift card on a nut and spice grinder, and I finally bought a salad spinner!

We then went over to the local Safeway to get something to drink and some cash. The Stanford Safeway is amazing! They had a huge food court, which serves Chinese and Italian food by the pound, a Sushi bar, gelato, artisan sandwiches...why don't we have one of these in San Jose? So, instead of going for steak somewhere, we got some sushi and eggrolls for dinner.

We then made our way over to the Stanford Rugby field, and cheered for our team. Amazingly enough Paul saw lots of his friends who ended up in the Bay area. It was fun meeting and greeting old friends!

BYU did win the National Rugby Championship game, which is awesome, since we've always gotten to the finals, but have never won. Paul and I cheered, clapped, booed, High-fived total strangers....it was awesome! Not too shabby for our first Rugby game...man they play rough. The worst thing that you can say to a team member is apparently, "Why don't you just go play football!" LOL! It was fun, we got home pretty late though...all the partying afterwards, yeah right :) got home at 10:40pm. All good times! GO COUGARS!!!

Relaxing

2009-04-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a day of relaxation for Paul and me. My week had been an extremely long one and I needed time to unwind. We decided to take a few hours of our Saturday and head down to Santa Cruz. Paul enjoyed window shopping at O'Neill. He's so funny, always looking for surf shirts.

I did not window shop. I shopped. Found a couple of books I'd been looking for, for a while now. Good times.

It was such a beautiful day, Paul and I walked the trail that runs a long side the sea cliffs. We walked and walked. Then we sat and sat, lol. It was wonderfully relaxing!

About a year ago the first time Paul and I visited Santa Cruz we saw this house. I literally gasped and knew that that was the quaintest, prettiest little beach house I'll probably ever see. It has a magnificent prospect of the Santa Cruz Bay and the lighthouse.

After we got back from Santa Cruz, Paul and I went to the driving range. It's been almost 6 months since we've gone, boy was I rusty! I sliced every ball I hit, LOL! Then we practiced some chipping and putting. On any "road trip" longer than 15 miles Paul and I try to find a duet we can learn to sing in the car on our way to our destination. This time it was "Lucky" by Jason Mraz. Good times!

General Conference etc

2009-04-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

I grew up on a tiny, poor and insignificant island. For me and those who grew up there though, it is significant and in our minds there are distinct memories. Waking up this morning I began preparing our home for General Conference; my mind wandered back to those childhood memories.

Before cable and live Internet streaming, every six months the Kaunakakai and Hoolehua Wards would pack like sardines into our small chapel, cultural hall and Relief Society room to watch General Conference. Families would plan quiet activities to keep their children occupied during the 4 - 2 hour sessions.

Molokai families back then were very poor, none of us could afford to drive the 5-10 miles back and forth from our homes to the church between each session. Because of the distance, families would plan an in-between meal. They would gather together and lay blankets out on the church lawn. The children would flock like chicks around the odd shades of orange and green Tupperware from the 60's and 70's that their mother or grandmother were laying out. The more out-going kids (my brother Ronald being one of them) would walk around the church grounds with their paper plate in hand, checking out what other families were eating. If they saw something they liked, they would add it to their paper plate by saying, "Aunty, what's dat? I like try."

We had some really good friends the Boswells, whom my parents would usually plan our in-between meal with. It was almost always the same. Because of the time difference we had to wake up around 5:30am to get to the church by 6am when General Conference would start. Our first breakfast was orange date scones, which my Mom always tried telling the Hawaiians (who don't really like to try new and different things) that they were good and good for you. They were both, but there wasn't half a cube of butter to smoother it with, which put off any self-respecting Hawaiian who opted for the cinnamon rolls which Sister Boswell would make. There also was spam musubi. I can't describe to you the sparkle in every one of the children's eyes when my Mom would open up her large rectangle Tupperware container full of spam musubi.

"Lunch" or more of a second breakfast because it was between 8am and 10am that we ate, was usually: rice, teriyaki chicken, Chinese noodles, macaroni salad and blueberry cheesecake with a cookie crust.

One October the weather was very stormy, heavy rains made it impossible for any family to gather on their blankets and eat outside on the lawn. The Priesthood men and boys quickly set up tables in the cultural hall and everyone gathered their food together for an impromptu potluck. This was the first time I had the combination of fried chicken and spam musubi. Can I just say that spam musubi and fried chicken are to Hawaiians what fried chicken and waffles are to black people. Delicious!

After the Priesthood session, the men and boys would have an ice-cream social.

Although a distant memory for me, we still carry on this tradition. Each morning I wake up early to make the spam and egg musubi and fried chicken. When we lived in UT our displaced Molokai families still gathered at least one of the those two days of General Conference to watch the first session, eat, then sleep during the second session.

I love the memories of growing up on my island!

*The picture is of the Elia, Bush and Boswell second generation General Conference watchers at Ronald and Laura Elia's home in Herriman, UT, 10/3/2004.

Baby Blessing Weekend

2009-03-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Paul and I went to Provo, Utah to meet up with my family for my sister Michele's children baby blessings. After the adoption of Julie Beth was made final, Michele and Jordan had her sealed to them in the Provo Temple. It was really nice. I enjoyed it, especially since we had lots of friends there. This is a picture of all the Molokai people that were there. We had such a great time catching up and joking around. I miss joking around with Jesse and Ammon. They're hilarious boys.

Three generations of Elia girls. I can't believe it. I never really thought about children in our family besides us. Now I have nieces...go figure!

After the sealing, most everyone went to TGIF for lunch. We had a great time chatting and chitting :)

So, this is the synopsis of our whole weekend.

Friday - Got in to Salt Lake, picked up our rental which for some reason Paul had decided should be a PT Cruiser - ugly uncomfortable car...and it was white. But whatever. We drove down to Provo to Michele's apartment and I got to see my nieces!
At noon I had lunch with all my TGN work friends. I enjoyed eating CPK once again with everyone! Thank you for such a great time!

After shopping for dresses for Julie Beth and Kaisleigh Paul and I checked in at the Marriot downtown. We had dinner at Ben and Hannah's. Ben made a delicious dinner. Let's see what did he make? California rolls, guacamole for appetizers. The main course was jambalaya accompanied by homemade pickles, salad and buttery savory pull-apart biscuits. Sarah and Chris were there as well as Amy and Doug. We had such fun. I miss being able to talk about girly things with the girls and everything else with Chris. It is too bad that we couldn't roll our eyes at each other during Fast and Testimony meeting Chris, just too bad!

Saturday - We had breakfast at Village Inn with Ronald, Laura, Jared and Jordan. Once the sealing took place at the Provo temple we took pictures and made our way to TGIF for lunch. We had dinner at Cafe Rio - mmmhhh pork salad, no beans, extra rice, shredded lettuce, everything on it, chips on the side with creamy tomatillo sauce. Same thing everytime! Yum! After dinner we hung out at Ammon and Christa's. We had a fun time reminiscing...old ghosts.

Sunday - Went to Michele's ward for the baby blessings. It was very nice and we took up 7 rows! Thank you to everyone who came. We went over to Keoni and Monica's for lunch. Well, Paul and I were tired of eating so it was everyone else that ate. Keoni and Monica had blessed their baby that day also, so their family were there also. We then went back to Michele's and picked up Jesse for a little hang out session. Good times!

Monday - We came home.... :( I miss my family!

Well, I just read over this. When I wrote synopsis, I guess I meant epistle. LOL!

What Can I Say?

2009-03-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

This past week was kind of a difficult one for my family and me. Hmmm, probably more difficult for my Dad than any of us. My Dad had a heart attack on Monday. He's still alive, but still in the hospital, my brother's (Ronald) blog has all the updates throughout the week - since Ronald was able to go to Hawaii and take care of my Dad and my Mom.

That's pretty much all I wanted to say...talking about it (or writing about it) kinda makes it real in my mind, and I didn't want it to be real until he was mostly out of danger. Thank you, to all the friends and family who shared their love and Aloha with my family! Special thanks to everyone who visited my Dad - Ronald you're a brick, sometimes :) I am glad that you're my older brother!

One more thing. I am glad that my family is an eternal family!

Pea or Pearl?

2009-02-25T23:20:00.001-08:00

Last night I told Paul a story about doing a presentation in my Fourth grade class on making 7 layer bean dip and the teacher took off a full letter grade because I called it guacamole instead of 7 layer bean dip...tough teacher.

Anyways, it got me thinking about growing up, then my mind trailed over to work and people in general who know me, or have met me. I then thought about how those people described me, to my face...after we'd known each other for a while. Stuck up, condescending, high makamaka (sorry Chantel if that's spelled incorrectly), OCD, scary were all used, but the one universally used was Hawaiian Princess or just Princess. Why? Lots of reasons...but the following childhood story, I think says it all.

Every child sticks something up their nose, sometime, once, twice, millions of times. I was no exception. Most kids I knew and the grown-ups I know stuck a pea up their nose...I stuck a pearl up mine. I think that about says it all. LOL!

Williams-Sonoma Double Handled Bowls!

2009-02-17T23:35:00.000-08:00

Paul bought me these wonderful bowls, for my birthday. Kind man! I've wanted these since the 2007 Holiday catalog! I tried to figure out what type of soup I wanted to be the first food served in these bowls. I thought and thought.

Saturday night the missionaries came over and Paul mentioned that he wanted something chocolatey. I mentioned brownie sundaes. And I remembered that my fabulous bowls can go into the oven! Hoorah! I had such fun making individual brownie sundaes! And the missionaries enjoyed eating them, as well as Paul. Yum!

All gooey and warm brownie, with smooth vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream, caramel and a cherry on top. It was very delicious and way better than serving soup in the bowl!

Happy Birthday to me! Great gift Paul! Love you!

Decorating for Company!

2009-02-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

My Mom and Paul's sister Chantel came up for a visit from Hawaii. They actually had a SFA conference in San Francisco, but were going to stay with us at the beginning of their trip and at the end of their trip. We had to get the place ready. Especially for my Mom. I was so nervous that she wouldn't like the place. So we had to make sure everything was as perfect as we could get on a budget. It took a while to decide on what type of theme we would go with. I wanted traditional Hawaiian and Paul wanted beachy Waikiki Hawaii. We went with traditional and he likes it, so it all worked out :)

We were going to have this Hawaiian quilt wall hanging framed, but $1200 for a frame was not alright, by any stretch of the imagination.

This is the guest bedroom. I love red! I wanted the red to be striking in the bedroom and it is! Paul was able to put up some of his Waikiki type pictures up in the hall to the bedroom, so it was a slight compromise on my part also :)

Bedside tables had orchids. The framed Hawaiian quilt pattern my Mom bought me when I was in Hawaii a while back. I'm glad that I could finally use it for what it was destined for.

The guest bathroom. My Mom had gotten me the two squirt bottles, which have etched Hawaiian quilt patterns on them also, so everything matched nicely.

I'm so glad that my Mom and Chantel came. Having company always stretches us, to figure out how to make them the most comfortable in our home. I love my family! Thanks for staying with us!

Rain? Pour?

2009-02-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, Paul and I were driving to a Mexican restaurant down in Willow Glen to have dinner. We noticed on the back of a black SUV that one of our headlights had gone out. Luckily, next to the Mexican restaurant was a Kragen's auto store. We stopped in and bought a new bulb.

A week and a half later...the other one went out! Seems like we would have thought, hey, they were put in at the same time, why not switch out both of them...right, we were hungry and I was upset about the bulb burning out...which means I was giving Paul a very hard time about it (although I am the only one who drives the car, usually and at night... :)

Cut to this past Saturday night (1/31/2009). My Mom and Paul's sister Chantel were just about to land at the San Jose International Airport - that's right it is international. Paul tried to start the car, lol! It wouldn't turn over :) Paul called his dad and asked him what it was, his dad (an amazing mechanic and diesel mechanic) told him it was the battery, which Paul knew, just needed a second opinion. Not having time to go and get a new battery put in, I sent Paul up to our great neighbor's apartment and she came down to give our car a jump. She is so great! She even taught my Primary class - because I am sick, and am currently hacking up nasty green flem - I digress. She gave us a jump and we made it to the airport with 10 minutes to spare...Paul drove around to keep the car on and to charge up the battery a little.

Sunday, Paul and Chantel went to Sears to get a battery put in the car. Paul's mom (Marvel) was wonderful paying for it on her Sear's card. I just wanted to give up and get my Pilot... but I guess it was cheaper to replace the bulbs and battery than to buy a Honda Pilot...touring edition. Fun times, hmmm. This time we have the expiration of the battery on our long-term calendar :)

Doing Stuff - One of my most random posts...Enjoy the inner workings of my mind, LOL!

2009-01-23T22:10:00.000-08:00

You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering.

- Harold Hill "The Music Man"

One of my favorite quotes, and I think it was used in the last conference by someone. Not that you should go into debt for good times, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying PLAN! Save for something specific, and only use it for that. Staying out of debt, doesn't mean staying home and being miserly. It just means having a specific goal, laying out the brick work for it and being very clever in the way you accomplish the goal....

Of course you want a day trip or weekend holiday to sometimes feel spontaneous - really I love those. But you can save for that also. I love organized spontaneity...anything organized, I digress...recognize ideas (sometimes I throw ideas right out of my mind, just because I think they could never happen) , write them down even if they are crazy, it's still an idea that might one day come to fruition.

Paul and I still don't get out as often as I would like...we don't have Pili and Ty coming up with fun things to do and letting us tag along. But we're doing something, instead of only enjoying the sweet drudgery of work that sometimes horrifies me awake in the wee hours of the morning.

Two of my less ambitious traveling goals:

Prince Edward Island - any girl knows why I want to go there.

Stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/
My grandmother took my brother and I there when I was 9 - I loved it, wanna take Paul there.

One day...

DISCLAIMER: This in no way states that you should play grasshopper and sing all summer...remember you would probably like your sunset of life to be not so much a winter.

PS - I just read over this post....very random, that's my mind though...can't blame me if you can't follow my train of thought!

Half-Moon Bay and Life

2009-01-18T17:54:00.000-08:00

Paul and I decided that we would take the proverbial bull by the horns...or should we say our sanity in hand. Work has been really taking it out of us, especially after all the good times of Christmas and the New Year celebrations.

We decided to take a day trip down to Half-Moon Bay. It's about a 45 minute drive from our home and we made that drive to find our sanity...or some semblance of it.

We went to the cold, cold beach and watched surfers lay about in the water like sea lions. We stopped by an English pub and took lots of fun pictures and ate some "real" English pub food.

I got the English pastey and Paul got the Bangers and Mash...just had to get it. We knew of course what it was. Every night before Paul and I go to sleep we have our rituals and one of them is to watch one episode of "As Time Goes By". It's a British comedy which we just love...dry humor is the best! There are a lot of things on the show which we want to try and this is one of them and we did! The next one we want to try, custard tarts! Which is interesting because Paul does not like custard, any type...flan, creme brulee, custard pie or panna cotta. Ok I'm babbling. Custard tarts here we come!

Paul and I stayed all day and into the night. We walked the beach at the Ritz-Carlton. I taught Paul all about kelp, sand and sea anemones...well I taught him all I knew, and he was so happy to listen to it all....hmm. I have the feeling he cut me out after I said, "aeration" or maybe "silt and sediment". Anyways, we had a great relaxing time. We had a great dinner watching the sunset and watched the full-moon rise in all its gorgeousness. It was one of the best days of my life, even better than the day I bought my first real knife set!
Too bad I had to come back to the worst week of work I've had since my first week of work...and it's not going to get better. Paul's week was lots better than mine. So that's us for now. Sorry I'm all ho-hum about everything. Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't like responsibility or any type of stress, but I suppose that's life getting shoved back in my face and all this learning stuff we're supposed to be doing here on earth. Let's see if I can end this on a positive note.

We're enjoying being together and facing life's challenges together. Don't know what I'd do without Paul James! We have so many moments together that I am grateful for. Adventure is fun when you have a great man next to you. Life is marching on and we hope to whistle along with it! Loves to all and to all a good week! Think positive...............

New Year's Eve Party

2009-01-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Our New Year's Eve party consisted of four people. Paul, me, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. I love Anderson Cooper, he's a Vanderbilt you know...very stuffy and then there's Kathy Griffin, the most abrasive red head in the whole world (beside Carrot Top). Paul and I prefer watching the CNN coverage to the Ryan Seacrest guy - his unnaturally white teeth freak me out :) Even though CNN has more technical difficulties than General Conference.

Of course we had good food! Chow Mein, rice balls, teriyaki yakitori (with rib-eye instead of the traditional chicken), orange chicken and pork won ton.

Can I just say, that yakitori is simply divine! Using rib-eye is definitely the way to go, it's just melt in your mouth deliciousness. I just have to make sure the skewers get marinated also, so they don't burn, lol!

Here are the won ton... gau gee... whatevers all finished up with two of the sauces; Sweet Chili and Sweet Sesame. *Sigh* YUM!

To drink we had the usual over-load of beverages...Panna Acqua from Italy (tastes better in glass than plastic), cran-raspberry mixed with ginger-ale, cream soda and a bottle of Apple-Grape Martinelli's (it was disgusting).

For dessert we had creamy/fluffy tapioca pudding - apparently Paul's new found love.

Paul and I had a great time; eating, chatting, watching Anderson and Kathy. We also started a new tradition. I picked up some Chinese fortune cookies and whatever it says in them, we have to work on or do for the New Year. This is what they said...lol!

Paul's: Be assertive and you will win.
He's already trying this out on me. I keep reminding him, that assertiveness comes at a cost :)

Mine: Kindness makes for happiness.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL :)

HAUOLI MAKAHIKI HOU!!!!!

Won Ton...Gau Gee...whatever....How To

2009-01-02T00:28:00.000-08:00

1 # - 1 1/2# of ground pork, 1 whole egg and pepper...just pepper.

Finely minced: 1/4 medium onion (I ALWAYS cook with sweet onions); 1 Tbl fresh garlic; 1/3 cup each, cilantro and basil. Sliced 1/2 cup green onion.

Funny thing about the cilantro and basil, you may not think that it goes with Chinesey things, but if you've ever wondered what that different flavor in shu mai (pork hash) is - it's Chinese parsley aka cilantro.

1 - 8 oz can whole water chestnuts, grated.

Water chestnuts don't add any type of flavor, just a crispier texture on the inside. It also breaks up the ground pork better, like cabbage in an egg roll.

Add all veggies to the meat. Then add 1/4 cup sesame oil and 3 - 4 Tbl shoyu (this is why I don't add salt...use the shoyu as salt and flavoring). Mix, mix, mix! With your hands of course!

A word on soy sauce. In Hawaii we use Aloha Shoyu, not that Kikkoman crap everyone in the Mainland uses. And yes I do know that Aloha Shoyu is relatively synthetic compared to Kikkoman, but Aloha Shoyu is just the way to go, better flavor.

Sometimes people use Patis instead of the sesame oil, I don't recommend it...fish sauce is not something I would ever recommend.

Because you can't really taste the pork in this state, after it is mixed...smell it. The won ton filling should smell exactly how you think it should taste. At the forefront I like an even blend of sesame oil, basil and cilantro, with just a hint of shoyu (salt), and right at the end the bite of garlic and onion. You should always hone your olfactory skills when cooking!

NOTE: All my measurements for the recipe are approximates...I go by look and smell, not measurements.

1 - package (about 50 - 60 skins) of square won ton wrappers. (I couldn't find square ones at the store, so I used the round ones that you usually use for potstickers - if using round skins, buy double - these hold less pork mixture).

Egg wash - Mix: One large egg and 3/4 cup milk.

Use a regular teaspoon to dollop the pork mixture in the center of the won ton skin. Fold in half and use egg wash to seal them up. Don't be excessive on the egg wash - don't want everything to get sticky.

Place on baking sheet lined with waxed paper. If your kitchen is warm, you should keep this in the freezer. Actually these can be made a couple days in advance and freezed. (I freeze them anyways until I deep fry them.) Make 5 - 10 at a time and add them to the stack in the freezer. If the won ton wrappers get to room temperature, they get sticky and it will be a mess when you try to pull them apart when you fry them...sad and laughable memories.

Fry won ton in canola or vegetable oil. Do not use safflower oil...trust me. The won ton should take 3 - 4 minutes to cook, anything under that the pork won't be cooked. So heat your oil accordingly.

Enjoy with a sauce:

Plum
Sweet and Sour
Sweet Chili (my personal favorite)
Hot mustard mixed with Aloha Shoyu
Sweet Sesame: 1/4 cup shoyu; 1 Tbl sesame oil; 1 heaping tsp white sugar; sliced green onion; dash of sesame seed; dash of red pepper flakes - mix... don't expect the sesame oil to mix in...obviously.

2008 Christmas Vignettes

2008-12-28T17:54:00.001-08:00

Note: Vignette is very loosely defined for my purposes :)

21 December 2008 - Waiting in the rental van for the grown-ups (I don't count as a grown-up)

"Dallas, do you know what I'm gonna give you for Christmas?" asks 4 year old Israel.

With a suspicious sidelong glance at his cousin age 12, Dallas responds, "No..."

Israel excitedly answers with a menacing laugh at the end, "One time, my Mom was walking and she cut her foot on some broken glass. I'm gonna break up some glass and make you EAT it for Christmas!"

"Yeah," Dallas retorts, "well I'm gonna put your head in the toilet and flush it...that's what I'm gonna give you for Christmas! A swirly!!!"

21 December 2008 - Walking up the steps to view Iao Needle on Maui

"Uncle Paul, that is pretty high up, the air must be thin up there!" Dallas notices out loud.

"Dallas, it's only about 1200 feet above sea-level, it's like being in our home on Molokai." Uncle Paul replies.

22 December 2008 - Going through airport security on Maui on our way home to Molokai

Dallas wanted to be the first one up the escalator, so he didn't realize that everyone else in his family were still going through airport security, putting shoes back on their feet, wrangling kids, gathering and re-organizing bags. Once he made it to the top of the escalator, not wanting to be left by himself, he rushed down the stairs back to where his family was. Rushing after him was and airport police officer, "You're not supposed to come back down here after you've gone up the escalators, young man." Confused and blinking vary rapidly, Dallas sat down on a bench with the officer looming above him with his hands on his hips. Chantel (Dallas' mom) notices and says, "Dallas get back up stairs!" Dallas rushes over to the escalator. About 1/3 of the way up, Dallas, still blinking, turns around to see that the airport police officer is standing directly behind him on the escalator, mean look and all. Poor little guy, being escorted by the police!

End Note: I think that the airport security at the Maui airport were all very mean, especially to the tourists. They need better training - like the security at the LA, San Francisco and San Jose airports.

2nd End Note: Lots of stories in which Dallas is involved...hmm.

WCC Christmas Party

2008-12-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

For my work Christmas party, each department had to decorate a table, using things which represent their department. I got to help out by making miniature diplomas for Santa and his helpers. Some of them funny, some of them you have to know a little something about history. I'll just list their names and what they received their diploma in :) Enjoy!

HEAD HOUSEHOLD

Kris Kringle: Good Cheer
Kristina Kringle: Baking, Candy Making and Good Smells

SANTA'S HELPERS:

Bernard Elfen: Physiology
Hermey Elfen: Heraldry and Messengery
Wink Elfen: Optometry
Tink Elfen: Mid-Sized Carpentry

REINDEER:

Olive The Other Reindeer: Court Jestery
Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer: Illumination Technology
Dasher Reindeer: Sprinting, Gamboling and Disco Skating
Dancer Reindeer: Cha-Cha Hoofing
Prancer Reindeer: Swagerology
Vixen Reindeer: Fabulousity in Boyology
Comet Reindeer: Scintillation Graphics
Cupid Reindeer: Inamoratology
Donner Reindeer: Canni Ballistics
Blitzen Reindeer: Reindeer Games Strategist

Christmas Season Date Night

2008-12-08T21:28:00.001-08:00

1. Go to downtown San Jose Christmas in the Park with a hot guy.

2. Take a romantic train ride. (Or take a picture of a kid train...lol)

3. Get in a fight with a reindeer. Just because you can.

4. Remember what the Christmas season is really for and notice that the Reason was stolen from the Nativity scene.

5. Have dinner at a little Italian bistro in a quiet part of town.

6. Have a Christmas movie marathon during which, your hot guy falls asleep 5 minutes into the first movie.

7. Sleep with the hot guy under your Christmas tree.

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

Paul and I so wanted a fresh tree this year, instead of the fake ones BYU makes you have. We got a little tiny guy, whom we've named Reg. We didn't go cut it down ourselves, we got it from a tree lot next to our Safeway. But it's a fun little tree and it fits all our lights!

Our little Reg in all his glory. We didn't have too many ornaments because I threw them away. Don't have a heart attack Mom. I threw away all the cheap stuff we bought from Wal-Mart when Paul and I married. I didn't want to pack it all up and bring it out here to Cali to throw away. I think we have about 15 ornaments on our tree and 1200 lights! LOL.

Elia Thanksgiving Top Ten

2008-12-04T22:01:00.001-08:00

This year the Elia Ohana went to Portland, Oregon to spend Thanksgiving at Ronald (my brother) and Laura's home. We also gathered to celebrate Jared's (Ronald and Laura's son) 1 year birthday. My parents threw him a luau. Thank you to Ronald and Laura for opening their home to us all. Well, Paul and I knew better than to stay in a home with two babies which don't belong to us - so we stayed at the Marriott nearby. But all of our awake time was spent in their well decorated home! Great times! This is what Paul and I have decided were the top ten funniest moments. Enjoy!

Number 10
Michele: "This apple pie is delicious, what kind of apples did you use?"
Laura: "I think they're grannies."
Mom: "You're supposed to use three types of apples."

Number 9
Ronald bringing out his portable driving range and driving golf balls onto the sides of neighbors' homes.

Number 8
Ronald in sexy man voice: "Paul I know you dedicated that song to me, rrrrrhhhh."

Number 7
Jared's mean warning face right before he pulls your hair, or poops.

Number 6
JuJuB throwing up on everyone.

Number 5
Ronald about their kitchen accent wall: "See, I told Laura and her Mom that they picked the wrong red. I picked the right red.
Caroline: "Yep that's true, you always knew your colors, even in Primary. You knew...red
you knew...yellow, and you even knew blue!"

Number 4
Downtown Portland looking at the Christmas lights.
Bum 1 accusing tone: "I know you told!"
Bum 2 yelling: "I ain't no snitch!"

Number 3
Dad: "I can squeeze your nose."
Caroline: "That wouldn't accomplish anything."
Dad: "It would stop you from breathing."

Number 2
Ronald: "We don't have a toilet plunger."

Number 1
Michele in the kitchen worried tone: "Something smells like gas."
Paul: "No, it smells like up dog."
Michele: "What's up dog?"
Paul: "Nothing, what's up with you?"

Amy B. Phenomenon

2008-11-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

Three or four years ago, on a late hot Sunday afternoon I was sitting in Relief Society, exhausted and irritated from the day's meetings. I wanted to go home and could in about 30 minutes - but that wasn't soon enough. We were having a lesson about who knows what. A new girl in our ward, cute smiley blond, newly married, raised her hand and made a comment about how wonderful life was for her...blah, blah, blah...and isn't Church great...blah, marriage, blah...we're so blessed...blah, blah, blah. I thought, "This girl is unbelievably happy and positive. Way too cheerful to be friends with, bet she doesn't have an original thought in her head...definitely believes in Mormon pop-culture, won't be able to be friends with her...what was her name? Amy?"

A month or so later, I had joined my friends and neighbors at a baby shower for some girl in our ward. I found myself eating the limp Chicken Caesar salad with homemade rolls, sitting across from me, "way too positive" girl. I crunched into the homemade roll. Strange, I thought, why on earth would a roll be crunchy? I asked my other neighbor, what was wrong with the rolls. We inspected...egg shells. I said, "Egg shells, who made these?" Amy, overhearing the conversation said, "Shh...just shut up and eat it." I looked up very surprised, wow, didn't know she had it in her. Later I found out that a blind girl had made the rolls, I didn't eat the rolls, eggshells in anything, no matter who made them, are still eggshells. But, my new found respect for Amy as a "tell it like it is" person was the basis for our friendship. I got to know her and found that she is; an upbeat positive person, but does see meanness and bad in the world...realities of life, but CHOOSES to accentuate the positive. She opened my eyes to realities of another part of life I hadn't really explored before...happiness, joy, being positive when all hope is lost, being outwardly kind and caring, who knew? I'm not saying I'm perfect at it like she is, but...

Last week, a woman at work commented to me that she calls me, "the Smiley Girl" and went on to say, "You're always so friendly and positive. I always know who to go to for a smile." Naturally, I was stunned, no one had ever described me as smiley, positive or friendly, let alone in one sentence. Over lunch I thought about it and thought about it, still stunned. I came home and told my husband thinking he might need a laugh, he said, "Well you are all those things, but I guess here it just shows more. Wow, I guess in California, you're Amy B." I laughed, that's right, the woman at work had described Amy, not me, but somehow and for some reason, I guess I am Amy B here, and I couldn't receive a better compliment.

Amy, I realize you're gonna be very embarrassed about this blog, but tough, you're great and you know it :P

A Sink Full of Dishes

2008-11-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

Saturday I prepared a meal for the missionaries serving in our ward. I wanted to take pictures of the meal before we ate it...I forgot. But just so you know it was a pretty good meal, there were a lot of empty plates - our two missionaries are Samoan from New Zealand...so the plates would have been empty either way I suppose. Great guys. One has been out for 15 months and the other...this is his first area in the mission field, a newbie!

Paul wanted to make them steak and shrimp, so we picked up some nice rib-eyes and great looking shrimp, from Costco. I added rice, chow fun(a flat Chinese noodle cooked with pork and veggies), sauted onions and mushrooms. Paul grilled the rib-eyes and I cooked the rest, the shrimp we made into shrimp scampi - like Paul's family loves to do. For dessert I made a pineapple upside-down cake (two actually - one for dessert and one for the missionaries to take home).

So the pictures are the remains of our meal. There is something satisfying about a sink full of dishes and a table scattered with the remnants of dessert. By the way, Paul washes the dishes in our home most of the time, if he wants to eat what I cook, he cleans :) But I washed up tonight while Paul played his Madden - so, it's not a hard and fast rule.

Overcoming My Waterloo

2008-11-02T22:41:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning of my cooking career (very loosely defined) I have had a few Waterloos and have conquered some of them. I however have been too afraid to try pie crust on any serious level. Anytime I made pie crust, I just didn't give it a chance - never did any research into it, no practice trials, nothing. My crust was not flaky and had no real flavor. Seriously, I have had nightmares about it. I can make a souffle, I can de-bone a chicken without quartering it first...but pie crust...no.

This time I read up on it. This time I processed it in my mind. This time it was flaky, buttery and flavorful! Now I just have to work on making it look nice. Anyways, yahoo! This does not mean that I will be making pies all the time. It just means, that when Paul says, "Hun, I feel like apple pie." I won't dread the making of it, and there will be no trip to the grocery store for frozen pie crust. Now onto phyllo dough... maybe in 5 years or so. Don't want to rush it.

Autumn Memories

2008-10-31T23:56:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Hawaii I never really got exactly what Autumn was. There weren't too many signs of the changing seasons. The leaves don't change color on our trees, there isn't too much chill in the air. But when Halloween was gone and I had a stomach ache from all the yummy candy, I knew that something was definitely different. After taking down the Halloween decorations and putting away my Mom's candy basket witch, she would bring out a little four cup saucier. My Mom would whip up a little concoction of water, cinnamon sticks, freshly ground; cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and a touch of grated ginger....pumpkin pie spices! She would set the stove to a very low flame and bring her mix of Autumn smells to a very gentle simmer.

Until I moved to Utah for 10 years of my life, that was what Autumn was to me. Adding the cool crisp weather of Autumn and the changing colors of the deciduous trees to the delicious wafts of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg - was just a bonus. Now that we're in California - it's not really the same. But we do have shivery mornings and evenings and it is now November, time to bring out my little pan and truly start my Autumn! Thanks Mom! I love you tons!

Disclaimer: Do NOT do this at home. If your home burns down because you did not remember to set your timer while having something simmering on the stove I don't want to take any heat about it. Just get a candle and a candle warmer....it's probably the safest way to go.

Tagged, again!

2008-10-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is really the easiest way to not have to think about something to write - like those jars full of scraps of paper to tell you what to write in your journal :)

8 favorite TV Shows: I do not watch a lot of TV, some of these I haven't seen in a while

Numbers
Bones
Most Masterpiece Theatre
As Time Goes By

Animaniacs
Chuck
TMZ - guilty pleasure, let it go

Graham Norton Show

8 Things I did yesterday:
Filed 'M's and 'N's
Got a great parking space at work
Saw a SWAT team do their thing
Balanced the checkbook, without sighing when I was done
Worried about if my Trunk or Treat decorating theme was going to be good enough
Ran my hand through Paul's lovely hair
Thought about straightening the Living Room
Decided that hearts dotting 'I's were ok for Jr High, but not in college

8 Things I look forward to:
Buying a Honda Pilot that doesn't look like a Jeep Cherokee

Thanksgiving with my family

Surprising Paul
Coming home from work tonight

Paul playing some tunes to me on the ukulele

A real Christmas tree this year
Going to Big Sur this weekend

Reading without interruptions

8 Favorite Restaurants: Paul and I haven't found our restaurant niche in San Jose yet
Cafe Rio
Molokai Pizza Cafe (only the breadsticks)

Nina's Pizza (Provo)
Mama Chu's (Orem) love the Chile Rellenos!
Saigon Cafe (scary part of Provo)
Happy Sumo

L&L

Cheesecake Factory

8 Things on my wish list: Let me consult my actual list :)
Honda Pilot

Blenko Glass water bottle

Home in the Mayfair district of London (LOL - this will never come true - I think they only let white people live there)
Country cottage (estate) in the Lake district

A really fancy tea service
Beautiful kitchen, state of the art, large and sinks that can fit a whole pan in it instead of 1/2 or 1/3

Traveling Europe on the Orient Express

Learning to live simply and enjoying it

8 People to Tag: All those I would have tagged, have been tagged.

S.W.A.T. and Armed Robbery

2008-10-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

Wednesday at work was a little crazy. I'll tell you what I know - but since we had more important things like a gas tanker exploding on the freeway and the election - this did not make the news.

Around 1pm or so a friend at work noticed a lot of cops showing up outside on the street between us and the VA hospital. I just thought that it was a student getting arrested again. We heard ambulances and fire trucks also. Of course I had to go to the front of the building to see what was going on. All the emergency vehicles and people were facing away from our building towards the VA hospital so we thought maybe a Veteran went nuts or something. Not so.

Apparently, 5 armed African-American men had just robbed the Wells-Fargo bank - they had all escaped, running in different directions. When the police came, they surrounded the whole block, probably 2 to 4 miles square and shut everything down. Luckily I still had filing to do, so when all the students were locked up in their classrooms and our doors were locked to the public - not that the public were able to get through anywhere, roads were blocked etc - I was still able to file! Joy! I guess it was relatively well planned - the bank was close to I-85 and I-101 - only three stoplights. They had stolen a car and drove it to the bank then left that car there after the robbery, running in 5 different directions - they could have easily had more cars waiting, or ran to the CALTrain which is one block over, directly behind our building.

It was fun to see the S.W.A.T. team with their big guns surround the area and hear the *chunk tunk* of their shoes and gear as they ran to secure the area. As far as I know, they didn't catch any of the robbers.

It's interesting the little things that change our everyday lives. If my day had gone how it was supposed to, my supervisor would have been in the bank at the time of the robbery. A single change in the day! Poor little tellers at the bank though - I really feel for them. I would have gone into convulsions and probably have thrown-up all over the place, I'm not good with stress type instances.

I hope that sometime it will make it to the news this week so I can add a link - but I guess it's an everyday occurrence in Cali. Paul said, it was probably easier and more common nowadays to rob a bank than to get a loan - sad times - but who knew Paul could be so funny?

Paul's Birthday!

2008-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Paul's birthday was nice. I got him a few things - a nice card, some of those gummy strawberries that he loves and a love letter...yes you read right. I also made him yummy things to eat - all things that he wanted!

Croissant French toast with strawberries and whipped cream, and sausage.

Paul's turkey dinner. We just made turkey breast, not the whole turkey - that would have been way too much turkey. We don't even like turkey, as a rule, but the smell is nice. I want to say that I made everything from scratch, but it's not true *sigh* Only the mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli and turkey I made. The stuffing was boxed, but I did add onions and celery. The cranberry sauce was canned *deep sigh* and the croissants, heaven forbid were made by Costco...if my Mom were dead she would roll over in her grave...an Elia buying croissants what is the world coming to! But we had a great dinner and fun times for his birthday.

Cooking

2008-10-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

My very generous Visiting Teacher brought me by some Roma tomatoes and fresh rosemary and parsley from her garden. It started me cooking again - sort of. I decided that I would be a good wife and make a tomato veggie ragu (although Paul would like me to insert that ragu means, that it is a red meat sauce) - mine didn't have meat in it - oh well. I also made roasted potatoes, Paul grilled some pork chops and I made focaccia. Yum! It was nice to use my kitchen again :)

Bobcat

2008-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

At work, we have a veterinary clinic. This bobcat is going to be released into the wild after the Winter and is having all it's shots and what not done to it first. It was all sorts of excitement even though this is only a 5 month old kitten. They even pulled a tooth! It was an exciting Friday that's for sure. They also brought in a falcon, but I'm not too keen on birds so I won't include any pictures, because I didn't take any :)

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To..Nowhere!

2008-09-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, Paul and I were chatting as we do every night before we fall asleep and I thought that I would blog about it, because we got such good chuckles out of it.

First Chuckle - Last year at Michele's wedding reception there were just tons of family from all over. I was busying around making sure everything that needed to be done was done. I ran into a great-aunt from my Mom's side of the family. We exchanged the usual, "How are yous" etc. Then she got this serious look on her face and asked, "So how are you doing with all this?" I asked, "With all what?" - and mind you we were not alone, there were several other people and family members around - She answered, "With your younger sister being married twice already and you never having a chance?" I was shocked - but not shocked enough to say what was running through my mind - Michele said it for me when I told her about it later. I laughed and said, "I'm married and have been for the past 5 years." It was my great-aunt's turn to be shocked, then she asked why she hadn't been invited. What I wanted to say and what came out of my mouth were two very separate things. I smiled and said, "You were invited, but it was in Hawaii." "Ah that's why I wasn't there. Well congratulations." Paul walked over then and I introduced them. Someone once said, "Everyone should have an Aunt or two, but I wouldn't wish a great aunt on anyone...."

Second Chuckle - A couple weeks ago we went to our Stake temple day - a Saturday. Paul and I had gone into San Francisco to check out Little Italy then go to the Oakland temple for our Stake temple trip - we all met in the chapel next to the temple to wait for the temple to close to the "public." I was exhausted and thought I would get in some zzzs. After a while, Paul had gotten up and went poking around chatting with friends. I was in and out of dozing. I heard someone talking to the people sitting in front of me and then felt a shadow over me, I opened my eyes and there was a member of our Stake presidency greeting everyone, thanking them for coming. I guess it was my turn and he (a white guy) started speaking Spanish to me. I don't know what I looked like, but I know it wasn't a pleasant look on my face. I interrupted him and said very insipidly, "I do not speak Spanish." He said, "Oh, neither do I." He then asked, "Are you Polynesian?" I looked him up and down (really who would wake someone up from a nap) and said, "I'm Hawaiian." Then he said, "Oh, Aloha! That's pretty much all I know and Mele Kalikimaka." I replied, "Yes that is pretty much all I know also." He questioned, "Were you just sleeping?" "Yes I was, better here than during the session, and thank you for letting me get back to my nap." And I closed my eyes. I don't know why I was so surly, but surly I was. The faces of the people around me during the conversation were just priceless! But really, waking me from a nap - not a good idea. Paul got a kick out of the story.

Well, hehehehe! Loves to all!

I've Been Tagged...oh well :)

2008-09-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Mom, I hope you enjoy this!

ATTACHED OR SINGLE? Married for ETERNITY!

BEST FRIEND? It certainly is Paul James, he's the only one who's ever been interested to stay long enough to get to know me, despite my sarcasm and sardonic looks...to hide my shyness :) I've never been good at making friends, it takes a lot of courage to be friends with me. Just ask Amy or Hannah about their first experience meeting me...LOL!

CAKE OR PIE? Lemoncello cake from Cheesecake Factory. I've been on a lemon kick for the past year and I really don't like chocolate. I do like the idea of chocolate but...eck!

DAY OF CHOICE? Saturdays - I love being able to do things with just Paul. And we get the laundry and everything done Friday night, so Saturdays are nice and easy for us.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS? Definitely clean water and central air...and most definitely CLEAN FEET!

FAVORITE COLOR? RED for looking at and PINK for wearing - or the opposite. I also enjoy a nice dark blue denim. I do admire light or sky blue on Paul.

GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS? Nothing gummy, I've got a mild case of TMJ. Which is sad, because I used to loved chewing gum!

HOME TOWN? Hoolehua, HI. But I'm willing to change it to most anywhere on the West Coast.

INDULGENCES? Definitely reading and buying books. And I really want to say shopping, but sometimes it feels like a chore. Sleeping also. During the week I don't get too much of it, so Saturday mornings are absolute heaven!

JANUARY OR JULY? July, it conjures memories of camping at Mo'omomi Beach every year while growing up, with my family and friends for a week. So much fun! I miss it!

KIDS? No. Read into that as much as you would like.

LIKE OR LOVE? (Hannah's answer: Definitely LOVE! I either love you so I am able to put up with your crap, love you even though I don't like you, or love you enough to want you in my life ... you can figure out which one you are!) Paul and I had this discussion once, he was 15 and I was 16. I told him, "If I don't like you, I won't even get around to loving you." Poor kid just didn't have a chance like a deer in headlights :)

MARRIAGE DATE? Had to ask Paul I couldn't remember. 27 March 2003, still the worst day of my life! But that doesn't mean I want anything to happen to beat that awful day.

NUMBER OF SIBLINGS? 1 brother - dead, 1 brother - alive, 1 sister - crazy :)

PHOBIAS AND/OR FEARS? I HATE balloons! I recently had an experience where a balloon popped in my hand and my heart stopped slightly and I cried, one tear. Embarrassing! Don't like snakes, eels, slimy things - but as long as I have shoes on, I will definitely squish and kill them. Oh, and cockroaches that climb in my ears.

QUOTES? "I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens may cross the road without having their motives questioned!" and "Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?"

REASON TO SMILE? Knowing that Paul will be with me, no matter what.

SEASONS? Autumn! Bright reds, yellows and oranges of deciduous tress, crisp cool breezes rustling the dying leaves and floating them high into the sky, the smell of cinnamon and warm apple cider permeating my home, the start of wonderful holidays where my family comes together to celebrate and argue to our hearts content.

UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME? I used to have my sister come sleep in my bed with me while we were growing up, because I was scared of stuff. I would tell her about vampires, dogs jumping through the window and tearing my throat out etc, then promptly fall asleep, while she stayed up scared stiff! LOL!

VEGETARIAN OR OPPRESSOR OF ANIMALS? I know how to kill and pluck a chicken. I can gut and skin a deer as well as a pig. I have also killed, skinned and tanned rabbits. Oppressor? No. Realistic about what animals are used for, yes. I grew up on a farm!

X RAYS OR ULTRASOUND? Never had either. Well that's not true - I have gone to the dentist once or twice.

FAVORITE FOOD? Wontons with sweet chili sauce and Chinese rice cake, hmm and probably poi.

ZODIAC? Aquarius

Love you Mom! Hope you enjoy!

2 Good Things and 1 Funny Thing

2008-09-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

2 Good Things - About three weeks ago I asked my co-worker what kind of products she used on her hair. She has pretty much the same type of hair as I have and it was just the glossiest and looked like the softest hair in the world - like how they show in those shampoo commercials, with the ok looking woman tossing her beautiful healthy and glossy hair. I didn't think that achieving that was possible in real life - but Sylvia (my co-worker had) and she damages her hair everyday with a flat iron or curling iron - just like me. So short story long - I asked her what products she uses on her hair. She told me and I went out and got them. It's been three weeks and my hair hasn't ever been better! MY hair is glossy, MY hair is healthy, MY hair is soft and my hair is something that I can finally look at without cringing. Paul likes it too, not that he would ever criticize anything about me, but he says it's soft and pretty (notice not softer or prettier). He knows better now than to catch himself in that trap. Anyways, I love these TWO products!

1 Funny thing - Just a little warning - This is probably the most personal thing I've ever written outside of my journals - at least the ending part if you don't like personal don't continue. I got food poisoning three nights ago. I woke up around 1am and had my head in the toilet off and on for the next 5 hours. Between bouts of an awful reality I rested on the cool bathroom floor. Paul never woke up the whole time - poor man was exhausted from work - I felt terrible for him. When his alarm went off at 6am - he sleepily walked to the bathroom and there I was with my head resting on the toilet seat (I did have sense enough to sanitize it earlier in my excursion to the bathroom - I'm nothing if not thoroughly clean). My head shot up again and I leaned it in - nothing but nasty bile. Paul rubbed his eyes, looked at me again and asked if I were alright. I coughed out a yes and he went to the other bathroom to get ready for work. I took him to the train station and came home to rest. I couldn't go to work and had emailed my supervisor......

I wondered about my throwing up and nausea. I took a pregnancy test and as I had thought, it was negative, just food poisoning. I was very relieved and a little sad. I felt a little better by the time Paul came home. He walked into the bathroom and came back out directly, he walked over and stood in front of me as I was laying on the couch. He smiled, tilted his head and questioned, "Not pregnant?" I smiled and said, "No." I knew he had seen the test in the trash in the bathroom. Bending over he hugged me and said, "Good, I couldn't give you up for another two years at least. Finding you in the bathroom this morning like that certainly woke me up. I worried all day that you might be pregnant." We both laughed as Paul sat and hugged me, just a little comfort and a little relief.

Want to know a few reasons why I love my husband? He has always loved me without reservation, without judgment and without trying to change anything about me. He encourages without pushing but with sincerity, honesty, respect and love.

Our San Diego Trip

2008-09-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well! Paul and I went down to San Diego for a weekend trip over the Labor Day Holiday. It was fun. When we arrived at 1am at our hotel, we parked just outside the hotel to go check in. There were 5 guys and 1 girl dressed up to the nines waiting for the valet to bring their car around. I couldn't believe that they were just going out! I remember those days, but they looked like they were in their 30's. I mean come on, act your age! We got to our room on the 28th floor and we looked out the window to see our view for the next few days. The view was great with all the ships and ocean to watch. We also were able to watch all the crazy well dressed drunks down by the pool where the hotel had set up this night club type area. It was hilarious. Paul and I decided that we were very glad that we're an old married couple who were too tired and too sane to go out late at night and drunkenly dance the night away. LOL!

Big Basin State Park

2008-08-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

Paul and I go somewhere most weekends to de-stress from work. I work. I think most of you know that by now. I'm a Registrar at Western Career College. I just couldn't get myself out of that college mode. Anyways I digress. Big Basin is a fun little state park with very large Redwood trees. Paul and I went on a couple of hikes - just a three miler and a 3/4 miler. We really enjoy the outdoors. I just have to get better at planning these little "jaunts and jollies."

I've been wanting to get back into all the hiking that we used to do when we were younger, and this is our start. I think sometimes I just like getting to buy all the fun gadgets...lol...that we "need" for the hike. I bought new hiking shoes - which are absolutely wonderfully comfortable!

The one sad thing, is that there aren't really any close rivers to fish in - not that I eat fish, but catching them is fun. I saw some of my friends camping pictures today, and I'm sad that they were having fun without me - dutch ovening...I miss Ben, Chris and Doug's dutch oven skills and the opportunity us wives had to sit around the campfire chewing the fat while being pampered by our husbands! LOL! Great times!

Fridays

2008-07-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love Fridays - well the past three have been awesome! Paul has been able to work from home on Fridays for the past month. I try not to talk to him until 5pm, well once or twice when I make him his lunch and snack. Since gas prices are so high half of his team gets to stay home every Friday and somehow it's worked out that for the past three he's been able to stay home and work via laptop. Even though I don't talk to him while he's working it still feels homey when he's here.

Now it's time for me to get ready, check the mail, go to the gym, then go shopping :)

Hawaii Part II

2008-07-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Reasons that I don't like Molokai; bugs and dirt.

Reasons that I do love Hawaii; food and the beach!

I'm back in the land of the Main and am glad to have real internet, Paul and no bugs, not sure about what order it should be in. I miss all my family in Hawaii and thank them for the great times (except the whole coconut thing). I'm glad I could cook dinner for my parents... I didn't think my Dad would eat the creamy macadamia nut pesto pasta with grilled chicken and grilled foccacia bread, but he did. I'm happy that I got to visit with Paul's family and drink Hawaiian Sun to my hearts content! Paul's family is nothing but nice to me and I appreciate that, I'm such a difficult person to get a long with, but I drink out of plastic cups now - so there! Hilarious story - sort of. First time I went to Paul's house when we first started dating, his mom or maybe he offered me some water in a plastic cup and I said, LOL, "I don't drink out of plastic!" The next time his mom went to O'ahu or maybe it was Arizona, she picked up a set of glasses so I could drink water at their home...LMAO. I'm such an idiot and not such a snob anymore, I hope. (Please ignore the blog about my new Williams-Sonomoa glasses ;)

Moloka'i

2008-06-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

Aloha! I am in Hawaii taking in the sun (too much) and trying to keep sane. I do love being in Hawaii but the bugs are a little much. On Monday I had the "opportunity" to pick up about 300 coconuts off of my parents lawn to throw away. That was exciting... :( Tuesday I went holoholo (literally means "get together" but connotes fishing - something about the fish being able to hear you say "we're going fishing" makes them hide and it's bad luck...superstitious much?) with the Young Women (my mom is the YW's president) it was a father - daughter thing. We fished at our wharf in Kaunakakai. On my Dad's second cast he caught a barracuda, that was awesome. Another girl caught a popio and a couple girls caught some manini. Then we had a fish fry (absolutely disgusting). I wish I could like fish, but I don't...oh well. There was a cute little honu (turtle) swimming around bobbing its head up and down. His head was huge but the body was tiny, I wonder why that is... After the fish fry my Mom took me to the Molokai Pizza Cafe to get breadsticks. I've had breadsticks at so many different places and the kind that MPC makes and sells are by far the best.

Today I went to the beach with my sister-in-law and aunty and uncle in-laws and their two grandsons. We went Mana'e side which had better beaches for the boys (3 and 4) to swim at. We had lots of fun. My back is completely sunburned. For some reason I thought that I could go back to my old teenage ways and get away with not getting sunburned...LOL! I'm not 15 anymore, which is nice...but still....

I think that's everything for now. Thanks for reading and I love most of you and miss half of those!

Don't Go Cheap on Style

2008-06-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

I've never really been one to spend a lot on a haircut or a manicure, but after yesterday I probably will. On Lincoln Avenue there are about 10 or 12 salons, which I went to, to ask them questions about their prices, hair philosophy, experience. Most of their philosophy and experience were amazing, but with amazing comes a price...which I didn't think was too pricey, unfortunately Paul thought a $70 haircut was too much. I ended up going to the MALL and getting it cut at Mastercuts. Now they're fine and dandy for some cheap old man or other types of people I won't mention...but for me it was a horrific experience. The nice lady (and she was nice, talked to me about quilting, she quilts) was rather large, which is fine, except for the fact that instead of using her hands to turn the chair around, she would twirl me around with her stomach moving the chair...she even switched up sometimes, locking my shoulder in-between her very large breasts and twirl me around that way. I know you're thinking she got an ear full from me, she didn't. The reasons for that are 3 fold; 1-I was in total shock, 2-She had a pair of very sharp scissors in her hand, 3-I was not about to confront a person who had my hair at her will.

Luckily it only takes one time to learn me a lesson! I will get the $70 or $80 haircut with an actual professional or fly up to Canada to see my friend Shelsea and have her cut my hair, or go to the salon in Springville, Utah which I used to go to after Shelsea moved to Mexico for a semester. Whatever I decide to do, I will not go to the MALL to get my haircut ever again.

And just for all the people out there who think like me. I know that I allowed this to happen to me. I put myself in the situation and had the will to get myself out of it. I just didn't do it and am sorry for it, although the haircut is great, I will pay more for a better experience...I'm really just hoping that I don't get some sort of rash or disease from her combs or scissors... :(

I HATE HOT DOGS!

2008-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

So for the longest time I have disliked hot dogs...really. The regular ones, the red ones and usually sausage in general, with the exception of Portuguese sausage and Italian sausage and sometimes Costco dogs. Well, this weekend I have found a hot dog that I would consent to eat - Nathan's Hot Dogs I know some would say that I'm not "American" if I don't eat hot dogs, it would be like me not liking baseball (which I don't). I'm a football, hamburger loving American! But now I can say I'm a football loving, hamburger and sometimes hot dog loving American.

Preserving the Harvest and Loving the Dream!

2008-06-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

Every year I pretend that I am going to make strawberry jam and every year I wait for my Mom or my Aunt Vivian to come up and make it for me. Well, this year it was my turn, because there is no one here I can delegate the responsibility of making sure Paul has enough fresh frozen strawberry jam to make it through all the Sunday dinner rolls, Saturday morning crepes and freshly baked whole-wheat bread for the year until next strawberry season comes around. So Friday I dedicated myself to the "putting up" of fresh frozen strawberry jam. I guess it would be prettier if I could have put them in little glass jars with pretty little labels which I would have used my calligraphy pens to write "Strawberry Jam - 30 May 2008", but you just don't want frozen glass in your freezer being jostled around. So I've settled for plastic containers with just the date on them.

It's been 5 years since the last time I made my own jam. Can I tell you that it was wonderful. The satisfaction of knowing that you've relatively preserved fruits of the harvest is almost overwhelming...that may be a little bit of an overstatement. Let's see from "10 Things I Hate About You," I'm just whelmed.

I love and enjoy being a homemaker, a maker of homes! I know I'm not out saving lives or pretending to enjoy being in some rat race hoping that one day my "contribution" to society will be noticed. But I am doing what I love. The satisfaction of a clean home, a crisply ironed shirt, knowing my husband can come home to a peaceful homey haven knowing that there will be a hot delicious dinner on the table, it's all I've ever wanted. And the fact that no one is the boss of me except my own self is also nice :)

Preparing dinner - $1 hour
Laundry, Cleaning, Vacuuming and Washing the dishes - $4 hours
Going to Hawaii for 3 weeks this June while husband has in-job training in Chicago - Priceless!

Celebrating My New Glasses

2008-06-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

In an effort to celebrate all sorts of events in my life I prepared a dinner Thursday night for my new Williams-Sonoma etched Edwardian glasses. For some reason this took most of the day. I needed to get ramekins for the chocolate souffle, which meant I just had to go to Williams-Sonoma. I also picked up a few ingredients for the celebratory dinner.

After picking up everything I needed, I pre-roasted the potatoes and carrots. While the oven was doing its thing, I also started the raspberry coulis which needed to be cooled for a considerable amount of time, because it had no thickener. I had to de-bone the chicken breast, buying the chicken breast bone-in was the only way I could get it with the skin on. As everyone knows, searing a chicken breast with the skin on then roasting it for 20 minutes is the best way to get a moist chicken breast. I also marinated the chicken in lemon juice, fresh rosemary, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Around 2pm I decided that it was time to start the rolls, Ben's Mom's Rolls, which are wonderfully light and fluffy, if you make them right. LOL! I spilled some of the yeast into the sink and didn't have any extra, so instead of 1 Tablespoon of yeast I think I got a teaspoon and a half. Which meant they needed a little extra time rising.

So when everything came together, I had made; seared and roasted chicken breast, roasted potatoes, carrots and onions, chicken stuffing, chicken pan gravy and rolls. Usually my meals are not so monochromatic but the Costco here doesn't sell those great frozen peas, and I still have that aversion to salad, from that one time....don't even want to think about it. For dessert I made, (and when I say "made" I mean to say I was so scared that it wouldn't rise in the oven I sat in front of the oven to try and "will" it to rise) chocolate souffle, which did come out, and I was so proud that it actually did.

The end product of everything was just so much fun to see and appreciate!

I LOVE WILLIAMS-SONOMA!!!!!!

2008-05-28T12:07:00.001-07:00

When Williams-Sonoma came out with these in their Spring Catalog I knew I had to get them. I worked really hard to get them. I submitted lots of suggestions at TGN to get my DPS bucks which then could be turned in for any type of gift card (Williams-Sonoma for me). Then when I left for California, all my friends from TGN chipped in to get me another gift card. I had enough to get two sets of these monogrammed etched Edwardian glasses. I ordered them a month and a half ago, they've arrived today and I am ecstatic about them! Forget hamburgers for dinner tonight, I'm making something wonderful and bringing out my china! I'm sure none of you would know this but Williams-Sonoma has a Home section now. Notice my homage to it in the name of my blog. Hmmm, what shall I make for dinner?

Paul's First Day!

2008-05-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Well it's finally time for Paul to go to work in this lovely building! I suppose I will miss him being around playing the ukulele and singing...ALL the time. I suppose it is time for us to grow up and do real things with our life. We had a great 5-6 weeks together hanging out and spending way too much money. I'm excited for Paul and a little apprehensive about whether or not he's going to like Accenture. Everything I've heard about them has been positive, I suppose we'll see. I'm glad we're finally on some sort of schedule. In bed by 9:30pm and up at 5:30am. I get to make Paul breakfast and take him to the CalTrain at 6am. Now it's time for me to decide what to do between 6:00am and 7:30pm (when Paul comes home). I am taking suggestions, but try to limit them to things I would actually do and don't get too inane ;)

I've finally succumbed!

2008-05-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

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