43 and counting

Every month at the kids school, they give away 4-5 themed gift baskets. Usually, you have to guess the number of something contained in the jar (coins, cotton balls, candy corn )....The guesses that are the closest to the actual number win the gift basket. 




Cute idea in theory. 


Here's the problem:  the jar of stuff  is usually as big as a canning jar. 
16 oz at MAX.


Grant's guesses are numbers like "3 million" or "a trilllion-billion" or "to-infinity-and-beyond"


Gwen's are more like "One" or "Two"


It's one guess per family, so I take turns with the absurd guesses each month
Sigh..and then stuff the box with my (i mean, THEIR) for-sure-we-are-not-winning ticket.


This month, it was Gwen's turn.


We walk up to the table in the lobby and observe the cute little jar of green Christmas candies .


Me to Butter: "Gwen how many candies are in the jar?"

Gwen to me: "3"


Me to Gwen: "Gwennie, there are FOR SURE more than 3 candies in the jar. Look, you can count up to 10 AT LEAST and there probably is more than that!

Gwen to me in stern 2-year-old-I-am-not-wrong-ever-voice: "No, there's THREE mom!!!"


    Side note: when did my adorable little girl decide to switch from calling me mommy or mama to MOM??!!


Sigh. Another month with a loser ticket. 


Good thing I'm not competitive.


I begin to fill out the ticket "Gwen Gaylord,.... Room 6C.... Guess: 3.....but then...
.....Light bulb moment:


Perhaps it was the extra shot of espresso that morning? Perhaps it was because no one was looking? 


No matter, it was brilliant....who would know? I mean, NO ONE heard her guess "3"....


So I did it.


Go ahead, judge me.


I slyly add a "4" before the 3 and quickly fold the ticket and stuffed it in the box...and quickly exited the lobby..with the ever so slightest Catholic guilt creeping into my system.




Fast forward to last night.  As I walk into school to pick up the kids, Ms. Secretary says to me: "I think you should check the gift box over there...that's right, the BIG one"


She continues on "Gwen guessed EXACTLY how many candies were in the jar....43 precisely!"


Me to Ms. Secretary: "NO WAY!"


Cheeks.Turning.Red.
Feeling.ALMOST.guilty. 


I rush back to Gwen's classroom and I tell her, the rest of the two year olds and her teachers... "Gwennie, you've won the gift basket! You guessed the right number of candies...FORTY-THREE!!


Gwen to me: "NO MOM, THERE IS THREE IN THE JAR."

Me to no one in particular but to everyone around me: "ah-ha ha, that's funny sweetie, you just don't remember guessing 43...it was a long time ago"


And we hurried back to the lobby to collect  HER winnings:

 I have this thing with the number 43.
 I don't know what it is, but I always just notice it.
 I'm not saying it's a "lucky" number, It just appears in my surroundings significantly more than other numbers.


Example 1:  I'll be "watching football"  with Brent  (in truth, I have a million-and-one better things to do than sit on the couch and watch overpaid lugs smash into each other and increase their likelihood for premature neurological damage) but on the 43 seconds I focus my eyes on the TV, I"ll notice the number 43 on someone's jersey.


Example 2: Looking in my inbox and I have 43 new messages. Happens often. I sometimes wonder if my inbox is set to only allowing 43 messages at a time.....I've checked. It's not.


Example 3: Shopping at Trader Joes: Mr. Hippie Check-out-kid: to me: "Your total is "$43.43. 
Me to Hippie Check-out kid:  "That is SO strange".... 




..and these are just a few of examples...there's more...in fact, I think there's 43 of them.




As I sip on my coffee out of the new coffee mug from the basket GWEN won , I contemplate Lessons Learned:


1)  Pay attention to your surroundings, you never know what signs are out there!


2) Secretly helping your kids out is TOTALLY worth it.


3) I'm playing the lotto this week. 43 times with the number 43 chosen on each line.




OMG LAST MINUTE UPDATE:  I go to the next door office and ask the professor, (who was on jury duty) if he was selected to serve... You want to know what he said?  and I quote "I was number 43 and they went to 42". 


WTF is up with 43?!?!?!?!?

Columbus, Cheese, and Corvettes...

...I left you all at 6:30 am in the previous blog..
After a few more Caillou episodes and feeding the kids breakfast, I began my 2nd dish: Cheesy Wontons...which, quite frankly, I was nervous about.


I've never made them and I didn't know if making them ahead of time (like 8 hours ahead of time) was going to work out in my favor. 

But I DID NOT want to be frying while the guests were arriving....so where does that leave me??


Inner monologue question: "Would they heat up in the toaster oven well enough? Do I even know how to fold a wonton? Would the cheese leak out?


Sigh.Deep Breath, More Coffee.
As my father in law often says: "Columbus took a chance"


So here I am. Making cheesey wontons. AT 7:45 a.m.


Ingredients (sit down because I don't want you to faint from this exhaustive list)


1) Wonton Wrappers--purchased at Vons...for about $2.50
2) A block of pepperjack cheese
3) Vegetable oil  to fry them in (atleast 4 cups)




Step One: Cube cheese and place in center of wrapper (actually, I cubed about 1/2 a block on Friday night, so I wouldn't have to cube them Saturday morning)  Size of cube you ask?  about 3/4 inch...ish.

 a

Step 2: Wet the wonton bottom and right side "a backwards L" with your finger dipped in water and fold top left corner down to bottom left:

Step 3: top right corner down to bottom right corner like this:

Step 4: last corner brought down to bottom right like this:

AND VOILA! A WONTON! 

Now, I made about 6-8 at a time and fried them in vegetable oil for about 4 minutes (until they were golden) :

Then I let them drain on a plate lined with a paper towel:

Then, I made the "dipping sauce"..come on, what would be better than dipping cheesy wontons into a sweat and sour cheese dip?

Wonton dipping sauce

1 8z block of cream cheese, room temp

1/3 bottle store bought sweet and sour sauce.

Mix together. 

That's it.

Easy-Peasey as my kids say.

Warm Wontons up in toaster oven right before serving!

THESE WERE A HIT!!!! SOOOO super easy and CAN be made a head of time....

And now, for the 3rd part of the story:

I "ask" Brent to take the kids out during the party.

Ok, so INSISTED he take the kids away during the party. He agreed.

....But now, It's getting to be a little later in the morning and I'm stressing. I still have the Asian Avacado Salsa to make and to grill the flank steak and my house looks like a tornado touched down.

What? Me? Stress?  --i know it's hard to believe.

It's that control freak inside of me that creeps out

What can I say? I like to have the house cleaned, food prepped/made, and a glass of wine in my hand as the guests arrive. 

Is that too much to ask? 

It's the only way I actually can enjoy myself.

Brent at this point senses the anxiety and decides he'll take the kids out to lunch and then to the zoo.

So I pack them up with a snack bag for the zoo and off they go!

About  an hour later. I get this photo via text message

Inner Monologue: "Where the HELL is he? The food looks...well, like they are intently eating it!!!

Text to Brent: What restaurant are you at?

No text back. Figures.

About 1.5 later, this photo arrives via text:

Inner Monologue: "Balloons too?And does Grant have SWORD balloons at that? Oh man, they are SOOO loving Brent right now"..... Will Gwen still INSIST on having me put her to bed? 

Sniff. Sniff

Text to Brent: WHERE are you???

No Text Back. Why? Why does he NOT write me back??

And then the creme de la creme of  photos that arrived during the day:

With the following text attached:  "At elephants. Trying to work this off"

Inner Monologue: "DEAR GOD! Look at Gwen and that MONSTER of a shake? float? is that GREEN that I see in the liquid stuffed with 2 pounds of vanilla ice cream??  He's the favorite parent FOR SURE after THIS DAY!!!


Come to find out...after he arrived home...he took them to the Corvette Diner in San Diego prior to the zoo.


What's The Corvette Diner you ask?? This is how their website describes it =


  "Rock n’ Roll, burgers and shakes rule at the Corvette Diner! A 50′s throw-back, with sassy waitresses in poodle skirts and bouffant hair-dos. It’s more than just a place to eat, it’s a destination" 




All that = Kids Haven  


I have to admit, I was a bit jealous I didn't get to experience the excitement of watching the kids in the Corvette Diner...


Grant's exact words when I asked if he liked the restaurant later that evening were:


"Mom, I want to eat there every day." 


Me to Grant: "Did you have fun with daddy today"


Grant: "I had THE BEST day ever"


Chimes Gwen: "Ever, Ever, Ever"


Inner Monologue: Well, my cheesy wontons were damn good and I bet the Corvette Diner didn't serve anything CLOSE to that."


...and I know you are wondering..Yes, Yes... Gwen, did, in fact, ask for Brent to "rock her and tuck her in" before bed.


Pour wine.

Let's party with Stella and Dot!!

Yesterday I hosted a Stella and Dot jewelry party for my good friend and neighbor, Kathleen, who is one of their stylists.  Now, truth be told, I LOVE hosting parties, but this one was especially fun because it was just the ladies 


....or, as Gwen would say (waving her finger in the air)  "Girls Only"..


and Stella and Dot is definitely my FAVORITE jewelry line out there these days.




Couple things before I start:  and I'm plugging here for myself (I get jewelry credit) and Kathleen. If you want to order in the next week or so..go here and select my name as the "host". 








When I plan a party, the VERY first thing I do is think of a food theme. 
You've GOT to have one.


I knew I was just going to serve apps, but what type?

As I told you in the previous blog, I'm totally into the "Food to Live By" cookbook by Earthbound Organic and I came across this recipe for  "Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps"....and it was an Asian-themed food from that the second I finished reading the recipe.. 


Here's what the menu looked like: (recipes follow in a couple of blogs--)


1) Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Asain Dipping Sauce
2) Ginger/Soy marinated Flank Steak bites
3) Asain Avacado Salsa with Rice Sesame Thins--holy moly, I could eat this every day
4) Cheesy Wontons --HOMEMADE FOLKS and OUT.OF.THIS.WORLD.DELISH.
5) Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls/ Vegetable Egg Rolls


COULD.NOT.WAIT.
Inner monolgue questions: "1)Am I doing too much? 2) Am I going to be going crazy? How much can I make "pre-party"?


Inner monolgue answers: "1) Probably 2)Already am, so tack on a bit more crazy and who cares! 3)More than you think


Here's how the day and the cooking went along with the recipes:


5:00am Up with Gwen, made espresso, gave her apple juice, turned on Dora.


5:15  Braced myself for a morning of "do-da-do-da-Dora" because I was going to need ALL the time I could get to make all of these appetizers, clean the house, and perhaps even shower before 14 guests arrived at 3:00pm


5:30am Started chopping everything for the Chicken Lettuce Wraps.
             Side note: If you don't have it, GET THE PAMPERED CHEF CHOPPER
                My kitchen life would not be complete without it.  This is it:



And finally, here's the recipe...straight out of Food to Live By:

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut int 1/2 inch dice
3 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS toasted sesame oil
2 TBS peanut oil--DIDN"T USE.  OLIVE OIL INSTEAD
3/4 cute finely sliced scallions, including white and 3 inches of green
3 TBS grated peeled fresh giner
2 TBS finely diced jalapeno pepper
2 TBS minced lemonsgrass--says optional, but USE IT. Nice grocery stores have it--I bought one large stalk
1 TBS minced garlic
1 can (8oz) water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, and cutin to 1/4 inch dice
3 baby bok choy (8 oz including white ribs) very thinly sliced
2 TBS soy sauce
1/4 cut teriyaki sauce---I USED VERY VERY TERIAKI...this one..
                                  bought at Trader Joes but have seen it in normal grocery stores.


1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 TBS Thai fish sauce (says optional, but I used it)   (Vons down the ethic row)
3 TBS thinly sliced fresh cilantro
2 heads iceberg lettuce or Butter lettuce (I used iceberbg bc it was cheaper--but I would use Butter next time because I like how big the leaves are with butter lettuce and they are nice and soft and roll well)


Asian Dipping Sauce (recipe follows after the chicken)




1) Spread chicken on a plate. Coat chicken with it!


2) Heat 1 TBS of the sesame oil and the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequetnly until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Transfer chicken to boal, leaving any pan juices in the skillet.


3) Add the remaining 1 TBS each of sesame oil and peanut oil (OLIVE for me!)to the skillet. Add:  scallions, ginger, jalapeno, lemongrass, and garic. Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until fragrant (2 minutes)

4) Add the water chestnuts, bok choy, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, mirin, and the fish sauce. Cook, stirring frequently until the bok choy wilts and the sauce is hot--3-5 min


5) Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes 


6) Put chicken mixture into a large bowl that can be reheated---about 5 minutes before people showed up, I stuck this baby into the microwave and heated it up for 5 minutes...


7) Sprinkle with cilantro and serve next to a platter that contains the Asian Dipping Sauce and the lettuce spread out and ready to serve!




Asian Dipping Sauce


1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 


   Side note about toasted sesame seeds--get a pan nice and hot and then take it off the heat.Add the sesame seeds and stir CONSTANTLY until they are lightly brown. 
DO.NOT.TOAST.WHILE.HEAT.IS.ON.
Made THAT mistake only once in my life.


3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 TBS mirin 


Mix all together and serve in a bowl on a plate with the lettuce.


Time after chicken is made for lettuce wraps: 6:30 am. 


Pour another cup of espresso.


Turn on Caillou for the kids 


Contemplate who is more annoying: Dora or Caillou?


Next up:   Home made Cheesy Wontons....

Got Nothin' but Food to Live By: Beef Broccoli Bowl

Well, I don't have anything amusing to say today. I don't know, just nothing funny going on the last few days, I guess.




......Although, Gwen did tell me this morning (and I quote):


"My friends can't touch my booty because it's my private butt"


Love.That.Girl.






Anyways, I was given a cookbook called, "Food to Live By" by Earthbound Organic...and it's got some really yummy recipes in there that I will try to share


Last night, I made one from their website that was really, really good: Here it is:




Beef-Broccoli Bowl:

Ingredients

1 pound	flank stead (preferably grass-fed)
1 tablespoon	unseasoned rice vinegar
4 teaspoons	peeled, finely grated fresh ginger (divided)
3 cloves	garlic (peeled and finely minced, divided)
1 tablespoon	soy sauce
1 small	head broccoli
1 tablespoon	salt
2 large	carrots (peeled and thinly sliced on a slight diagonal) We had Grandpa Steve's fresh carrots from the garden and they were SO sweet and delicious!
8 ounces	udon noodles
	olive oil
1 1/2 cups	chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
2 tablespoons	Toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons	Asian fish sauce (or to taste) Side note: Brent and I had to throw away our fish sauce because it was NASTY...so I left it out...don't think i noticed it missing
2 tablespoons	fresh lime juice (or to taste)
1/2 cup	thinly sliced fresh mint leaves or cilantro (as garnish, optional)

---

Directions

Cut the flank steak in half lengthwise so that you have 2 pieces, each about 2-1/2 to 3 inches wide. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, 2 teaspoons of the ginger, half of the garlic, and the soy sauce, stirring to make a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the steak pieces. Place the meat in a covered container (or on a plate, covered with foil or plastic wrap) and marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. If you wish to marinate longer, the meat can be refrigerated overnight.

DEFINITELY.MARINATE.OVERNIGHT. 

Cut the broccoli into florets, reserving the stalks for another use. If you wish to use the stalks, peel them and then cut on a slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Bring a large pot of water (4 quarts) to a boil over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the broccoli and carrots to the pot and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the vegetable cooking water. (This step can be done up to 2 hours in advance).

Preheat a barbecue on medium-high heat.

 If outdoor grilling isn’t practical (or if your husband has forgotten for the last month to refill the propane), use a cast iron pan on the stovetop.

 Rub the steaks with some of the olive oil and grill the meat while the noodles are cooking, turning once. For medium-rare, cook 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Reheat the pot of water used to cook the vegetables over high heat until boiling. Add the udon noodles and cook over medium to medium-high heat until they are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrots and cook an additional minute, until the vegetables are heated through. Drain the mixture in a colander and then divide among 4 large bowls.

Meanwhile, place the chicken stock in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger and garlic, the sesame oil, fish sauce, and lime juice and simmer until the mixture is very hot. Pour some of the broth into each bowl of noodles.

Slice the steaks thinly across the grain and divide the slices of meat among the bowls. Sprinkle each serving with some of the mint, if using, and serve hot.

Pour Wine.