HZGG Marathon

I have an addictive personality. I just spent the last day and a half watching 16 hours of Huan Zhu Ge Ge (Chinese period drama). At once liberating that I can do exactly what I want, but also quite unproductive. Even though it is only the first week of school (and I have no classes on Thursdays), I really should have spent some of those hours reviewing my schoolwork.

I know myself, and that's why I don't usually start watching new TV shows or watch Asian dramas or start a new hobby or pick up a good book during the school year. I get hooked, and can't stop watching/reading/obsessing. Often, the only cure for the addiction is to finish what has been begun. My logic is, the faster I finish, the faster I can get back to my normal life. But sometimes even finishing the show doesn't work, I will still end up re-watching my favorite parts and thinking about the characters and plot. Gotta kick this addictive habit! It's making me lose sleep, skip meals (or eat cereal for dinner), put aside all my responsibilites. I'm becoming guilty of what I always chide my brother for: being glued to the computer screen watching mindless shows.

However, if you cared, I have listed out my top 5 favorite moments of the first season of HZGG (these are my feel good moments that I can watch endlessly on loop)!

1. Erkang finds Ziwei at You You Gu
2. Erkang rescuing Ziwei from the Empress and evil Rong Muo Muo's needle torture
3. Yongqi tries to tell Xiao Yan Zi his feelings for her
4. Erkang's martial arts performance against the Tibetans in a competition before the Emperor and the Tibetan king
5. Erkang first tells Ziwei his feelings for her

...basically any Erkang and Ziwei interaction!

Mushroom Risotto

When my dad starts talking about going to Italy for his business trips, he inevitably begins to talk about Italian food. More specifically, risotto. Risotto is an Italian rice dish; arborio rice is cooked slowly in broth until a creamy consistency is attained. Requires plenty of broth, butter, and Parmesan cheese.

I made mushroom risotto last night, and my entire family (dad, mom, and bro) ALL loved it. That's hard to achieve in our rather picky family!

Mushroom Risotto

4 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
3 c. chopped mushrooms (Use a variety: white button mushrooms, portabellos, shiitake, etc.)
1/2 onion, diced (or substitute with shallots if you have some on hand)
1 3/4 c. Arborio rice
1/2 c. white wine
6 tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, optional

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, heat broth and water until simmering. Keep warm over low heat. 
2. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms, cook until soft and mushrooms have released their juices. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, set aside. 
3. Add 1 tbsp. butter to saucepan, and stir in onions. Cook onions on medium-high heat until soft and translucent, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low heat, pour in wine and continue stirring until wine is fully absorbed by rice. 
4. Add 1/2 cup hot broth to rice, continue stirring until all of the added broth is absorbed. Repeat with another 1/2 cup broth. Continue slowly adding broth to rice until all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente. 
5. Remove rice from heat, stir in mushrooms with their liquid, remaining butter (3 tbsp.), and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm. 

Recommendation: Using a variety of mushrooms lends different textures and aromas to the risotto. I used 4 large white mushrooms, 4-5 baby portabellos, and 4 large shiitake mushrooms. I used dried shiitake mushrooms, so before chopping, I first soaked the dried mushrooms in hot water until soft. 

Reminder: Risotto should not be rushed, so add the broth slowly. This process will create the creamy consistency you want in a risotto dish. 

Don't: Personally, the chicken broth added plenty of salt to the dish, so I did not add additional salt and pepper. 

Do: I did add more cheese, so add more or less depending on your preference. 

Experiment: Try other mix-ins, such as cooked chicken, different vegetables (zucchini, asparagus), shrimp, fresh chopped herbs (chives, tarragon). So even if you detest mushrooms, this dish can easily be altered to suit your taste.

Mushroom (minus shiitake)

Step 2: Cooking mushrooms in butter

Step 4: Slowly add broth to rice

I Heart (Veggie) Gardening

Imagine a hot summer day... you think about what to make for lunch. Hey, why not a cool, crisp salad, with fresh vegetables from your backyard? You pick a ripe, red tomato from your garden, slice up a cucumber, toss with fresh lettuce. This is MY dream.

I love the idea of growing my own food. Growing up, I wasn't really into gardening (or being outdoors for that matter... Hiking? Out of the question!). But my dad is a farmer. And I guess I have his genes! There are so many pros to gardening... cost-effective (do you know how much tomatoes cost in the store these days?!), peaceful, lowers blood pressure, helps you reach your daily doses of Vitamin D.

On Saturday, Patty and I went to Seattle Tilth's Edible Plant Sale, and it was SO MUCH FUN! If you were not into gardening beforehand, you will be afterwards! There were tons of plants for you to pick and choose what to grow. Also, there were information talks given by volunteers, such as Gardening 101 for Beginners. Plus, a tip: if you go close to when the sale ends, all the plants are marked down 50%. Patty and I were very lucky, and grateful, to be there as they were wrapping things up, and scored some major deals!

What we walked out with: 2 alpine strawberry plants, 1 spicy salad starter, 1 arugula plant, 1 romaine lettuce, 1 bok choy plant, 2 broccoli plants (one for my parents), and 1 dwarf snap pea. Plus, Seattle Tilth's informational book full of helpful hints, info on when to grow specific types of plants, what to do each month to prepare for gardening.

I have to admit, I really am a complete newb at gardening. I have never prepped, planted, and maintained my own garden before. My only recollections of gardening is helping my dad with some weeding, occasionally watering plants, and having a flower garden waaaay long ago back in Corvallis.

The story behind the flower garden: I was probably 8 or 9, and I got to pick out seeds for my plot of land that Dad prepared for me. I picked out a bunch of random flowers: sunflowers, daisies, probably some pansies, daffodils. Planting was equal to me scattering seeds here and there, in no particular organized manner. Well, a few weeks later... it was BEAUTIFUL. Tons of flowers, everywhere, literally!

As much as I've been reading up on gardening, and planning, it's a totaaaally different ball game than actually feeling the dirt, working the soil, planting and watering. I guess it's time to find out if I have a green thumb... or not!

Thai. Curry. Simple.

Had a lovely lunch with friend at Thai Curry Simple recenly... courtesy of Shu's raves! So glad I had a good friend to share a spontaneous plus delicious lunch with!

Where to begin?! I had great expectations going in, after the amazing Yelp reviewers' comments. I was definitely looking forward cheap, GOOD eats, and I was not disappointed. First off, there are $5 curries (noodle dishes are not much more expensive at $6). Let me repeat: $5 CURRY! Even cheaper than any run-of-the-mill Thai place along the Ave. around UW! And I haven't even began to describe the Roti!

Service was fast and friendly. The lady working chatted me up about Thai Curry Simple's packaged Pad Thai meals that you can buy, take home, cook, enjoy. She assured me it was "very easy, noodles and sauce included!" I may need to take her up on her word next time and try making Pad Thai at home. I've had a couple of failed experiences at making Pad See Ew at home, so I'll be interested in how this compares. Another sign of great service: our waters were refilled very frequently, and I saw the owner talking to many of the customers who seemed to be regulars!

Simple is the key word. The menu is not extensive, focusing on curries and a few noodles dishes (I saw Pad Kee Mao and Pad Thai, and that was about it). The menu is written on blackboards hanging on the wall, you order as you come in, and then find a spot to sit in the tiny restaurant. Luckily, there were plenty of tables available on Friday around 1pm, but I imagine seating could be a problem during a busy lunch rush. I ordered Green Chicken Curry and friend ordered Massamun Chicken Curry. There are also Tofu Curry specials for each day of the week that seem very popular. Curries came out quickly, hot and served over rice (you have a choice of white or brown rice when you order). While the Green Curry was labelled "spicy", I fared quite well! I loved the plentiful bamboo and eggplant chunks in the curry and it wasn't too spicy for me! I was very close to finishing my dish... but I had to save some room for the dessert roti, so ended up packing away a couple of bites to take home (which ended up being dinner).

ROTI! Yummy! Imagine fried flaky dough filled with sugar and condensed milk. We had to order one of the famous roti's for dessert. There are quite a few variations on fillings (banana, strawberry, etc.) that you can try. I was a bit surprised when our roti arrived: it was different from the picture, because the dough was all rolled up rather than flat and open like a pancake. So, think crepe instead of pancake. The two of us each got 3 pieces of heavenly goodness! Almost like a donut, but more delicate. It had the perfect amount of sweetness. Next time, I may need my own roti (no sharing!).

This was the perfect TGIF, end-of-finals, lunch with a friend. Cheap, infinitely satisfying, completely enjoyable. I truly can't think of a single complaint about Thai Curry Simple! I am looking forward to trying one of their noodle dishes in the near future! Next week, anyone?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Who needs boxed mixes with a chocolate cake recipe this easy? :) Frost with Sour Cream Frosting for a tangy, delicious topping!

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

2 c. white sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 nine inch round pans. 
2. In a large bowl, stir sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Beat in eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (Note: Batter will be thin and runny.) Pour evenly into prepared pans. 
3. Bake 30-35 minutes in preheated oven. When toothpick test comes out clean, cake is done. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pan. 

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

4 tbsp. butter

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. confectioners' sugar 

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl in microwave. Cool, then blend in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting is to spreading consistency. 

I made 12 cupcakes and 1 layer round pan using this recipe. I baked the cakes the night before, and then frosted the cupcakes the next morning to bring them to class! Also, I topped my cupcakes off with mini peanut butter chips and dusted the frosting with cocoa butter for more chocolate-y taste! 

Depression Requires Chocolate Cake

Have been feeling a bit blue and under the weather (literally...) recently. Reading about depression is making me depressed. First signs of depression are "inability to concentrate" and "weight and eating habit changes." I can attest to both... uh oh! I just need this quarter to be over ASAP! Have already booked a facial for Thursday to unwind. Unfortunately, 4:30 on Wednesday cannot come soon enough!

I was caught ill-prepared and under-dressed on this a gusty, windy, deceptively cold day. As I shivered at the bus stop on my way home from clinic, one of my fellow bus riders reminded me, "Honey, it's March." Teaches me a lesson for hoping for an early spring and wearing capris and a short-sleeve shirt prematurely! 

What I have been doing instead of studying (the panic will come soon enough...):

Taking cupcakes to class, to share

Will upload the recipe sometime after finals. 

Finals? What Finals?

Even though I get out of class by 12:30 everyday this quarter, my study time seems to be diminishing. By the time I get home, I end up puttering around the kitchen until 3ish, blogging for a little bit, checking emails, and then (sometimes) a nap... by the time I think about studying, it's time for dinner!

I need to get back into the groove! I used to be a study machine! What happened???

Potato, Broccoli, and Cheese Soup w/ Breadsticks

1 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes (small cubes!)

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken stock

3 cup water

1 1/2 cup broccoli, cooked and chopped

1 cup. Cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, saute onion in butter. Add potatoes, chicken stock, and water. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes). 
2. Add cooked broccoli to soup. 
3. In a blender, puree soup. Then return soup to stock pot. Season. 
4. Add cheese and heat until cheese is melted. 
5. Serve warm with breadsticks!

For the breadsticks: Costco sells frozen breadsticks. Before baking, brush the tops of the breadsticks with melted butter (or olive oil) and sprinkle garlic powder. I learned this from Auntie Joyce, and it's amazing what a little extra work does! 

Lovin' Me Some Lemon Pound Cake

Last night was one of my first free nights for quite some while! No tests, no meetings, no get-togethers. Just me, myself and I. Was planning on studying all night... and I'm sure you know how that went. Instead, decided to pull out the old (okay, it's actually almost brand-new) KitchenAid and make pound cake. I discovered a juicy lemon that's been sitting in the fridge for a while, and decided to spice things up! Lemon juice and lemon zest, yes please!

A little more about the KitchenAid: If you know me even a teeeny bit, you probably know I've wanted a KitchenAid since I was probably 5 (maybe exaggerating a little...). I just love the idea of a big, shiny machine that's completely dedicated to baking! Now that I have one, I have to emphasize the BIG part of that statement. A KitchenAid is truly a real-estate investment... of your counter space. It takes up a good portion of your counter, vying for space with the rice cooker, hot water dispenser (how Asian am I???), coffee maker, and slow cooker. I end up storing my KitchenAid in a box on the ground (won't fit in any cabinets either!). Aaaand, the thing is heavy! I dread having to heave the huge thing up, up, and up onto my counter, and back down when I'm done baking. Ah... I miss the days when I can stick my handy hand-mixer into a drawer and call it good!

However, life isn't all terrible with a KitchenAid. It's perfect for making pound cake, where you have to beat the batter to death! One definite plus- now, I can just turn the mixer on and... it's hands-free! I'm free to go dig out other ingredients, squeeze some lemons, crack an egg (or 5) into the batter while the mixer is going, the possibilities are endless! Perfect machine if you don't want to spend 5 minutes holding a mixer in your hand.

Recipe below! (Note: I found the cake not quite sweet enough, so I may increase the sugar next time to 1.5 cups.) The syrup adds a delicious lemony infusion. However, I did not make the glaze, but I'm sure it would be yummy as well! I love lemony anything! No pics today... cake was devoured too ravenously for me to get a decent shot!

Lemon Pound Cake
Cake Batter
1 cup butter, softened but not melted
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar (next time, I will increase sugar to 1.5 cups)
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tbsp. lemon juice
5 eggs, room temperature

Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Batter: Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Grease 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and dust pan with flour, tapping out excess flour. Mix (or sift) flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir lemon juice and sour cream together in another bowl. 
2. Toss sugar and lemon zest together in large mixing bowl. Add butter, and beat at medium-high speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs while mixer is on low-speed, scraping down bowl after each addition. Continue on low-speed and add one-third of flour mixture, followed by one-half of sour cream mixture. Alternate flour and sour cream additions, until all is added to batter. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mix on low until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and smooth top with spatula. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and toothpick test comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. (I baked my cake for almost 70 minutes). 
4. Syrup: Stir sugar and lemon juice together in saucepan over medium-high heat, until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside. 
5. Glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, until smooth. 
6. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan. Using a toothpick, poke holes in the top of the cake, and pour glaze over tops and sides of cake. (Alternately, you can simply brush glaze on if you don't want holes. I find that poking holes allow more of the glaze to seep into the cake.) 
7. Cool cake completely before drizzling glaze over cake.

Psalms 15

  ¹O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?
         Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
    ²He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
         And speaks truth in his heart. 
    ³He does not slander with his tongue,
         Nor does evil to his neighbor,
         Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
    ⁴In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
         But who honors those who fear the LORD;
         He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
    ⁵He does not put out his money at interest,
         Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent
         He who does these things will never be shaken.


This past weekend, Uncle Mack and Auntie Tina shared with the college group. I was so encouraged :). They both shared from Psalms. To be honest, in the past, I didn't love the book of Psalms. Sometimes it felt repetitive or like a bunch of do's and don'ts.

But Uncle Mack revealed Psalms 15 in a whole new way- love the last line where it says "He who does these things will never be shaken." And what are "these things"? Look above to verse 2: walks with integrity, works righteousness, and speaks truth. I know I am quite often shaken in my life by a bad test, an argument, things not going my way. But there is a way out!

It starts with abiding. As simple as the word sounds, I often don't think I can do it... not in this day and age, when there's school and career plus a billion other things vying for our attention. But as Uncle Mack shared, it starts with a desire, and God will honor our true desire to abide in Him. Then, the next step is to walk, work, and speak as Christ, and He will be our strength even when we think we cannot.

-- Every day is another opportunity in learning to not be shaken, no matter what the outward situation is. Run to the Lord in your need, He is eternally faithful. --