& that's the way life goes

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via kendralynn

After working out, ranting and being completely emo I went into the kitchen set on what I was making for dinner.  I hardly ever use my rice maker.  I know GASP!  I’m Filipino and I pull out the rice maker maybe every couple of months.

I remember joking when I was little that my Dad would get crabby if he didn’t have rice on a daily basis.  We’d go up north and he wouldn’t have any for a couple days and his mood was different.  When I got older he took me camping and on a propane stove he would make rice.  We’d have Adobo  and rice for dinner.

I never really identified with the Asian race.  I was raised American.  I think it was in fear that I  would have an accent and be treated differently.  My mom was only a quarter Filipino and to my knowledge didn’t identify with being Asian.  (I’m 5/8ths btw)  When my mom was on dialysis her nurses were Filipino and they insisted I be a part of the Filipino Debutant Ball when I was 16.  It was my first true immersion in a culture I knew little about.

It was cliquey and I’ve never felt so out of place in my life.  My dad wasn’t a doctor or a lawyer.  He worked on Sundays, the Sundays we had practice and all the dad’s came to watch.  It was questioned why he wasn’t there.

As I got older I began my own research into a race that intrigues me.  I don’t know how to explain it.  I feel a part of it sometime and others it’s just foreign to me.

And now that I’m completely off track, the reason for this post is that I was very Asian inspired in my cuisine last night.  I made rice and then got my wok out to make lumpia (spring rolls).  I’m going to be honest here, I’m a rookie when it comes to making lumpia.  I always ruin 2-3 rolls before I get the oil temperature right.  I also made fried rice, the way my dad showed me.  Though it didn’t taste like his at all.

C my haole, said it tasted just fine.  But what does he know   I also made some frozen potstickers from Trader Joe’s.  I realize that my dinner last night might be totally Americanized Asian but eh, that is what I am!

You all know I’m no Martha Stewart or Top Chef Contestant (and working mother)  like Ariane Duarte, for that matter either.  I also don’t have a lot of time to spare in the evening to make dinner or hurt my head coming up with lunch ideas for C and I.  We are cool we brown bag our lunches every day, or C calls it his ‘lunch pail’.  Yes people we still live in the times with horse and wagons.

Ivillage has these videos by Momtorage.com that go through the steps to make easy and affordable dinners.   The videos are short and to the point.  They make cooking and baking look easy.  It makes me excited to want to try some of their ideas, including Jazz up the brown bag.  Alright, if you watch it, you will see it’s focused on kids’ school lunches, but you know what?  I’m not ashamed to say that the banana with cinnamon roasted apples didn’t make my mouth water.  I’m also not ashamed to tell you that I have plain old PB&J for lunch on days when I’m in a hurry.

And what about those summer BBQ’s we are all attending?  I have a picnic for Tae Kwon Do in a couple weeks and after watching the video for the Summer Fruit Shortcake I’m definitely bringing that.   The video is only about 3 minutes long and the shortcake recipe is LIGHT.  Yes light.  It uses egg whites and low fat vanilla yogurt.    Seriously, I dare you to watch that and not get a least a little bit of drool on your keyboard.  Mmmmmm.  And it’s homemade for under $30.  Can’t beat that.  You Can See More Life Made Easy Videos Here

Here a few more pictures from the long weekend.  It was one of those weekends that felt really long but  the moment you were back to work on Monday it’s was obviously WAY, WAY too short.  We did get a lot done so I guess we were at least accomplished!

always time to chill with dogs in the back of the van

When Sarah asked me about a favorite restaurant my response was that I  really wanted to try Slow’s BBQ in Corktown.   Her and Supergirl both said it was delicious and I needed to go ASAP.  So last Friday, we did.  It was perfect because they weren’t busy since it we went in the middle of the afternoon.  And yes, the food was delicious.  I was so hungry I didn’t take any pictures of the actual mouthwatering food, but I did take some to pass the time before it arrived.

I forgot my candy today…This literally makes me want to cry.  Well maybe not cry…no I will cry.

Me: I forgot my candy today

C: Are you having withdrawls

Me: Yes, I’m starting to drool

C: Maybe you need a chocolate patch

You may already know that I want to take C somewhere for his birthday which is at the end of March.  My cousin T is amazing and offered to house sit (YAY!!!).   I really wanted to take C up to Sault St. Marie to the Soo Locks.   He loves ships, freighters and the Edmund Fitzgerald.  Yeah, so the visitor’s center isn’t open until Mid-May.  And they have ship tours and whatnot in the summer.  So what do I do?  Do I plan something else and hope we get up to Sault St. Marie this summer?  We try to go up north every summer but it’s about a 5 hour drive and we are so bad at actually going in the summer because there are so MANY other things to do.  He has no idea what I was planning.   Being up north in the winter/spring is really quiet and nice just to get away.

Thoughts?  What would you do?

Me: Why does your birthday have to be in March…UGH

C: Because that’s when I wanted it

Me: Everything I plan gets RUINED

C: Well excuse me for  being born

UPDATE: We are going to take the train to Chicago.  So all you Chicago bloggers or those familiar with the area I need suggestions on a place to stay that’s decently priced.  We are going to try to get tickets for a Blackhawks game.   THANK YOU!

And on an ending note…

C: Sex without a condom is the new engagement ring

Yes people he took his funny pill today

*Quote from Rush Hour 2.  Alternatively titled “Holy Eggrolls Batman” for no reason other than I’m cracked.

3 years ago my dad promised to buy me my very own wok.  I don’t know why I wanted my own since he never showed me how to use a wok but I wanted it.  I was tired of making fried rice in a pan.  He agreed but we both are against the new flat bottom woks.  So it took 3 years for my dad to located a round bottom wok that wasn’t a million dollars (obviously I’m being dramatic).  I got it for Christmas butI just now took it down from it’s home on a shelf in my kitchen.  It’s pretty, all stainless steel and made in China.  It came with a shitload of accessories, some I’m not even sure what they are for lol.

I made a trip to the Filipino store yesterday and last night I made these lovelies.

we don't fry things often but it was totally worth it last night

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

seriously mmmmmmmmmmmm

finished and ready to eat!

In other “what I did last night” I played dress up.  When I stopped at my dad’s house yesterday I grabbed a box with old dresses that were my moms.  Possibly her prom dress and a couple other formals.  I was excited they all fit.  There is one that I really wanted to get cleaned because I think it’s cute.  Maybe if I got it altered a little I could wear it to a future wedding.    This one was so itchy, but it was pretty for it’s time.

I’m so cool.  LOL.

Hope you had a great weekend!