Kitchen Snafu

I had a minor problem in the kitchen today while trying out a new recipe. Given the fact that I love Thai food--and that I just bought some ingredients specifically for Thai cooking--I thought I'd attempt a soup. One of my favorites is a Thai Chicken and Coconut soup; it's so fragrant and delicious. If you've never tried it, by all means do. Anyway, since I purchased some lemongrass, fingerhot chiles, limes, galangal (a root similar in appearance to ginger) and coconut milk I figured today would be a great day to give it a go. I found a recipe online that seemed to have all the right elements, I crossed my fingers, and got to cooking.

The good news is that my kitchen smells like lemongrass.

The bad news is that my kitchen smells like lemongrass. And only lemongrass. And now all I can smell is...lemongrass.

The soup tasted decent. Except that the combination of the lemongrass and lime was WAY too overpowering for that delicate a soup. So needless to say the recipe needs a bit of tweaking before it's deemed worthy to share with the internets. When I go back to the market at the Buddhist Temple, I'll be sure to ask some of the cooks there for some advice.

Could It Be?

Is tomorrow really the last day of the month? Did I do it? Did I actually manage to make it through the month, posting every day (even in spite of technical issues)? Well, tomorrow is the 30th, which means two things:

1. My finals begin next week. Good Lord, it's time for the freak-out to begin.
2. NaBloPoMo is coming to a close. Woo Hoo!

I kind of feel like Morgan Spurlock from the movie "Supersize Me" and the t.v. show "30 Days." I'm really proud of myself for being able to stick with blogging daily for that long. I know a month doesn't seem like a long time; but sometimes I feel I'm borderline flaky, so this is a real accomplishment. I'm going to commit to something else for the next month--though I will try to continue keeping a more regular blogging schedule (just maybe not every single day). I'll deliberate on it for another day, and then December 1st will be the kickoff.

Got Me Again

I've been tagged by j. over at Austin's GFCF Diet Journal. I had to take a minute and look at the last 8 Random Things meme I completed back in September before I tackled this latest challenge. I'd be really embarrassed if I repeated the same things I listed the last time; though I must say, I'm not sure I'm that interesting that I can come up with eight more interesting things about myself. Please forgive if this list is not as good as the first.

1. While my husband is the musician in the house, I had quite the music education myself. I took several years of band, where I became a mediocre trombone (yes, you read that correctly), clarinet, and alto saxophone player. I am unable to play any of these instruments today, though I can still read music.

2. I smoked throughout my last two years of high school, during my first go-around at college, and for a couple of years after that. I smoked for about six years in total, and fortunately for me I quit the year before I met Flamenco Dad. He's not a fan of cigarette smoke.

3. I learned to drive at twenty-two (kind of late by some folks' standards). But before I got the hang of driving, I crashed an old boyfriend's car--oops. Hey, that stop sign and that tree jumped out in front of me; how could I not hit them?

4. I know lots of people think he's kind of grungy, but I think Johnny Depp is very sexy. Does that make me weird? Call me, Johnny!

5. I'm scared to death of mice (rats too). I'd elaborate, but I'm starting to hyperventilate.

6. As I mentioned in my previous meme, I never learned to ride a bike. But I can roller skate like nobody's business. And I'm talking the old school skates, not the rollerblades. Holla!

7. I did not enjoy any of the following movies: Crash, The English Patient, or The Thin Red Line. I know they're supposed to be these great, important movies; but I just don't see the appeal. In fact, the latter was so bad in my opinion I'm still wondering how I can get those three hours of my life back.

8. It's no secret that I love spicy foods. I put some variety of hot sauce (tobasco, sriracha, jalapenos) on just about everything I eat. I'm still trying to figure out how to successfully add heat to my desserts, but it's coming soon--I just know it!

Leftover Pumpkin?

If you're like me and are wondering what to do with leftover pumpkin puree (how many pumpkin pies can one person bake anyway?), these gfcf pumpkin chocolate cookies are a nice alternative. I got the recipe for these tasty treats here. Pumpkins are a great source of Vitamin A, so why not sneak them into your kids' favorite treats for a boost? My kids loved them...and so did Dad and I.

BTW, I got tagged for a meme, and I'll be sure to do that tomorrow. I'm still reeling from the results of Dancing with the Stars.

Images from the Buddhist Temple

This is a photo of the Buddhist Temple we visited yesterday, the Wat Mongkolratanaram of Florida. People from all over the Bay Area come here to enjoy the temple, the meditation garden, the gorgeous view of the river, and the food.

This statue greeted us as we approached the produce market on the temple grounds. We bought lots of wonderful, fragrant ingredients (which I'm already putting to good use).

Here's what I ate for lunch. I know the photo's not pretty, but I was pretty deeply engrossed in my lunch by the time it occurred to me that I should take a photo. It's a VERY spicy chicken with basil over jasmine rice. In the corner there is a fried sweet potato, which had been dipped in a (gfcf) batter that included sesame seeds. Had I known about that method of cooking sweet potatoes, I would have served THAT at Thanksgiving.

Here are some of the folks responsible for the wonderful food we sampled at the temple. Some of the best Thai food I've ever had was made by these kind people.

A Taste of Thailand

I was hoping to upload some photos of our excursion today, but due to some funky stuff going on here I'll have to do that in the morning. Today we visited the local Buddhist temple, which has a wonderful Sunday market; there, some Thai folks who live in the area sell produce--lots of yummy traditional Thai ingredients to be found there--and make a wide variety of Thai dishes for the locals to try. The temple is located right off the river and has a lovely picnic area, so we had a fabulous Thai picnic lunch. All the proceeds from the sale of the food, produce, and other wares goes to the temple. We had a great time. One of the best parts was that just about everything there was gfcf--hooray!

When we got back, I baked some cookies: gfcf pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to be precise. More on that tomorrow. Hopefully those pictures came out fine.

Alert the Media!

I am going to an adult party (as in a grown-ups only party)--sans children! No Thomas and his friends, no Barbies, no Dora or Diego...I think the apocalypse may be upon us!

We're going to a wine-tasting/start of the holiday season shindig at the home of a friend of ours named Paul; Paul is a sound engineer who has helped Flamenco Dad on several projects. Paul's also a great photographer, who recently took FD's new headshots. So we're bringing some wine and the guitar (and yours truly will do a bit of dancing tonight). So tonight the kiddies will be left in the loving care of my dear,sainted mother-in-law (can you tell I'm grateful to her for babysitting) while my husband and I get our party on. Tootles!

So Tired

I was actually just asleep on the couch when my hubbly woke me to tell me to get to bed. It was at that moment that I realized that I had not yet posted today. So here I am, half asleep and typing away. Gosh, it's like I have a sickness or something. Must post every day. Must try to win a fabulous prize. Must get my behind in bed already.

Thankful...

for my two kids, who absolutely rock the earth...

for my hubby, who totally rocks my world...

for my mom, brother, and the rest of my crazy familia. They always keep things interesting and entertaining...

for my friends, both near and far; thinking about all our adventures together makes me smile...

for all the wonderful people I have met online, through this blog and others. I'm amazed at the ability of the online community to bring people together...

for The Soup and Best Week Ever. Weekend television is so much better with you in it...

for turkey. Ahh, tryptophan and gravy...

Countdown to Turkey

I've just spent the last 8 hours in my kitchen prepping for the Thanksgiving dinner at Mom's. Today I prepared a pumkin cake and a chocolate pecan pie; as well as a sweet potato casserole and a homemade cornbread stuffing. We've got several items on tomorrow's menue that are gfcf, so I don't have to worry about what in heaven's name Zoe will be able to eat. Thank goodness! In the morning we're loading up the kids for the trip, and I hope to be feasting on some turkey by around 3. My mom is serving a ham as well as turkey, but let's face it: that ham is the understudy to the real star of the Thanksgiving meal, which is turkey.

The kids are excited to visit their grandmother, great-grandmother, uncle, and the assorted other relatives and friends that will be there. What my kids don't know yet is that my mom and her husband have already put up their Christmas tree: a 12-foot behemoth with a gazillion lights and a slew of adorable ornaments. I'll be sure to take many photos.

Moving On

Change isn't something that Zoe--or just about any other autistic child--takes to very easily. When she was in kindergarten, changing what she ate for lunch on a given day was met with a resistance not seen since the French Revolution. And you could forget about last minute schedule changes; oh, the wrath that would ensue! As Zoe's gotten older, her ability to transition has improved dramatically. She still puts up a fight sometimes, but in general she has a much easier time of it.

Today Zoe got some news that, while very exciting, threw her for a bit of a loop. Her occupational therapist told us that it may be time for Zoe to "graduate" from therapy. She's met all the goals the therapist had set for her, and she has improved in that area to the point where therapy may no longer be needed. I had a similar conversation with her speech therapist not long ago; so it appears that after the present evaluation period ends, Zoe may be done with private speech and O.T. after nearly 8 years. That's right folks; she has been in therapy for 8 of her 10 years. So you can see why Zoe might be a bit apprehensive about closing that chapter in her life.

Zoe loves the therapists, staff, and friends that she's met along the way; and I know that's the reason she doesn't want to leave. So part of what we'll be doing during her Thanksgiving break is talking about how we deal with moving on when things in our lives change. It's fascinating to see how she handles this; Zoe has reached a level of maturity that I guess I didn't really notice until now. That's the mama in me, always seeing my baby as, well...a baby. But today my baby came home from therapy, and sat at the desk and proceeded to write in her journal, no doubt about the changes in store for her now.

I Should Probably Blog Before I Take My Medicine

I'm getting some of my Thanksgiving prep done early this year. In fact, I've already purchased everything I need from the market--well, except that I realized after I got home that I'm out of eggs--and Wednesday I'll get cracking on the cooking. This year we're going to my mom's for Thanksgiving, something we haven't done in years! Usually Flamenco Dad has to work the day after Turkey Day, which made driving 5 hours to Grandma's (only to have to turn right around again) a pain. Now that she lives much closer to us it makes the trip easier.

So I've got a couple of side dishes in the making, as well as some desserts. I'm doing a sweet potato dish and some gfcf cornbread stuffing. I'm still working out the dessert thing, but I've got to make a decision by tomorrow. I was thinking something with pumpkin, but the hubby is requesting chocolate. Maybe I can put the two together into one showstopper of a dessert. I'm running out of time to decide, so I've got to get to it!

We've all got a cold here...again. We're tired, cranky, and smell of Vicks Vaporub (so not hot); and my house is like a tropical rain forest because of the humidifiers.

Tonight, after the kids were tucked in, I cozied up on my couch and watched Dancing with the Stars with the hubby. He makes watching the show even more entertaining (if that were even possible). He provides interesting commentary on the musical selections (we agree they are often campy, and occasionally border on ridiculous) and the costume choices. My husband thinks the Spice Girl is sexy, while I think her partner is hot stuff. Wonder what he thinks of Vaporub?

I've heard nothing else about the kangaroo/wallaby/chupacabra, or whatever it was wandering the streets a few nights ago. Maybe it was some random hairy guy roaming the area. Oh boy, I think I'm delirious from the Nyquil.

Un Buen Sabor!

Translated from Spanish, it means "a good flavor." Today my mother-in-law came to the rescue and made a delicious, stick-to-your-ribs stew which was satisfying with a capital "S". Oxtail stew is not something that what prepared in my parents' home when I was growing up. My earliest rememberance of it goes back to high school; my Jamaican friends' families ate it often, and it was a favorite. The first time I tried it I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was served with steamed white rice (and you can never go wrong there). But it was the oxtail with its cocktail of aromatic spices that put it over the top. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

My mother-in-law's version didn't have the same combination of spices that resemble the Jamaican version, but her version rocked just the same. The hearty stew combined beef oxtails and some root vegetables, gourds and spices commonly used in the Latin kitchen: yucca (there it is again), calabasa (a type of pumpkin), green plantains (I know, I wasn't sure how it fit in there either, but it did), garlic, onions, bay leaves, peppers. It was just what we needed on this cool, lazy Sunday. Gracias!

Her Mama Makes the Same Face...

when she's in a mood. Charming, no?

The Man's Not Gettin' Me Down

For reasons completely unbeknownst to me, I could not access my blogger account yesterday. Thus I was unable to post here in accordance with NaBloPoMo. However, I was not going to let the streak die! Oh heck-to-the-no! So I did post last night on my NaBloPoMo page. You can check it out here. Take that, internet gremlins!

In other news, today Zoe performed at a Christmas tree lighting. I know, they just start doing these earlier and earlier every year. She and her group did a wonderful job, dancing and singing to "Sleigh Ride" and "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree." I was a proud mama.

Oh yeah, and I haven't cooked a thing all day. What's up with that? Well, I have a great excuse, really. I've been out all day. Yours truly is pooped, so once I get the rascals to bed I'm going to kick back with an adult beverage and watch the boob tube.

Why Is This News?

Back about six months ago, when my husband and I actually had time to sit and watch t.v. together, we'd sit and watch the news and wonder about some of the oddball stories that made the headlines. Our local news had such a story last night; what confounds us is that the story still has legs, and is now in its second day. What's the story, you ask?

"Kanga-Rumor Pursued"

Seems the local sheriff's office got a call about a kangaroo that was seen hopping around in traffic. So far, no one has been able to track it down, nor has anyone been able to confirm if there actually was a kangaroo in the area. There is speculation that the marsupial is someone's pet, though I'm not sure that our local Petco or Pet Supermarket is in the business of selling kangaroo chow. What do you feed a kangaroo, anyway?

Before I go any further, I should explain that I do not live in Australia, though there are two locations in the "larger" city nearest to me that may (or may not) have kangaroos. The nearest zoo is about 25 miles from where the caller claims the kangaroo was seen. Also Busch Gardens is at least 20 miles from where the kangaroo was allegedly spotted. Some folks who read the news headlines on the internet have been joking that the kangaroo escaped from the local Outback Steakhouse. I suppose that's possible. Gosh, I hope the legal people from Outback don't send me a nasty-gram for that comment. Oh well, I don't like their restaurant anyway.

Now our little town is blaming all the random events that have occurred in the last few days on the mysterious kangaroo. There was a bank robbery today? Blame it on the kangaroo. Traffic tie-up on the interstate? Must have been that darn kangaroo. The illusive marsupial has now achieved "celebrity" status here, joining the ranks of the Chupacabra and Sasquatch. All I know is if he's the one who knocked over my trash cans the other night, he's in a heap of trouble.

My husband has just informed me that the animal in question may have in fact been a wallaby. The plot thickens.

Pea Soup for the Soul

I'm always glad to get back home from vacation, due in large part to the fact that I can get back in my kitchen. Today I put up a pot of split pea soup (remember my post about it here). And Flamenco Dad was nice enough to gift me an immersion blender for Mother's Day this year, so I put that boat motor to use!*

I know some people would consider a gift of kitchenware to be unromantic; some would say that a more appropriate gift would be flowers or candy. Don't get me wrong: I love flowers and candy. But to me, cool gadgets I can use to get my kitchen mojo going are gifts that just keep on giving. And did I mention that the immersion blender has a whisk attachment and a mini chopper attachment, and that it makes fantastic smoothies?

The soup was silky smooth and full of flavor. It made for a delicious dinner on what was a slightly cool evening. And now that I've gotten over my fear of The Exorcist the soup tastes even better.

*Note: when using an immersion blender to puree the soup, make sure if you're using any kind of meat (ham, ham hocks, etc.) that you remove them from the pot before using the boat motor. Trust me on this.

Some More Photos

I thought I'd share just a few more photos of the trip. Above is Stone Mountain, and though the photo doesn't give a great detail of it, the face has a bas-relief sculpture of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. The sculpture took 55 years to complete.

Here we are on top of Stone Mountain. There's a skyride that takes passengers from the park up to the top of the mountain.

Here's Zoe catching a (plastic) fish at one of Fernbank's interactive centers. The museum has a variety of activities for children of different ages to try. They give the older kids a scavenger hunt activity at their Discovery Center.

Here's Flamenco Dad and the kids sittin' on top of the mountain. The kids swore they could see the entire world from up there.

Some Favorites from the Trip

We got in a little later than I anticipated, so I'm afraid my vacation roundup will have to wait. Until then, I decided to share a few of my favorite pics. Enjoy!

Why Don't They Tell Us About That?

I've heard that a foolproof test of the strength of a relationship is to travel your significant other; if you can survive the trip, then you're golden. If not, well that's a subject for another day. Flamenco Dad and I have been getting along extremely well on this trip, so I suppose that puts us in the first category.

What they don't tell you is what to do when, three-plus days into your vacation, your kids start to drive you out of your skull! When you're at home and your kids start to rattle you, you can always send them off to play in another part of the house, put in a movie, or send them into the backyard to let off steam. On vacation though, it's twenty-four-seven in your face time. Mama needs a break!

I ADORE my children. Actually, I'm not sure there's a word strong enough to convey how I feel for my babies. But I'm really craving some me time--as in me by myself time. Guess it'll have to wait till we get home.

All complaints aside, we visited the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta today. We saw lots of great dinosaurs, sea creatures, and a pretty neat frog exhibit. We saw the IMAX film entitled "Sea Monsters," which was an interesting and well-done film. I enjoyed it even though my son was acting like a bit of a monster of the two-legged variety. The museum has many interactive exhibits that are great for inquiring minds and little hands. There was also a fascinating exhibit about different cultures and the various ways cultures use adornment to tell stories about their history. Pretty cool stuff.

Tomorrow we load up the Flamencomobile and head back to the hacienda. Once I've unpacked and gotten the mountain of laundry started, I'll work on getting some photos and video up here.