Day 1 Report

I never really understood a parent's angst when they talked about sending their kids off to their first day of school but now I do. Today, I dropped off my little one for his first day of daycare and am anxiously waiting to hear how it went. Did he have fun and make friends? Or, did he hate it and be a loner? I'm curious to know either way.

Before I confuse anyone, yes, you are still reading MY blog, and no, I still do not have children. I am talking about Hobbs, my quirky and spirited dachshund. After all, he is for all intents and purposes my "child".

It sounds like he got a good report card for his first day. There were no issues and he wasn't overly excited to get picked up to go home so he couldn't have been that traumatized by the experience, right? I guess I'll just have to wait and see if he has any objections to me dropping him off the next time.

Chili Take Two

A few months ago, I had an itch for chili. I did my research online, found what seemed to be a good recipe, and went for it. To my dismay, I made a "5 Alarm" chili by following the recipe to a T and grossly underestimating the power of cayenne pepper. Lesson learned.

Yesterday's gloomy weather had me hankering for some chili again. Determined not to make the same mistake as before, I used the coveted Fenster family recipe. Who knew that you could cook/simmer a pot till the excess grease is gone? Simply amazing.

Shout out to Ralph for hooking it up! You are welcome to come over anytime for a bowl or two. You'll need to add some cayenne pepper to kick it up to your liking though. You know I'm a sissy when it comes to spices.

Simply Stupendous Shirataki

House Foods America Corporation has an amazing product called Tofu Shirataki. As I mentioned in my previous post, this traditional "pasta alternative" gives you the same sense of eating pasta but without all of the carbs.

(Photo from www.house-foods.com)

What is the hitch you ask? Well, here is what I discovered...

1. It is of utmost importance to thoroughly rinse/wash the noodles before you cook them. The noodles are packed in a suspiciously foul smelling liquid. However, rinsing/washing the noodles manages to remedy the off-putting smelly issue.
2. The noodles are virtually tasteless. I've tried pan frying them to give them a crisp but was unsuccessful (and I'm pretty sure its the noodles, not me). I've decided that the noodles work best in soups. Otherwise, the noodles go well with hearty/full-bodied sauces.
   

You can find Tofu Shirataki noodles at most Asian grocery stores and according to their website, some of the larger grocery chains such as Whole Foods and Ralphs. If you decide to try them, please let me know what you think and how you made them!

SBD Approved.

The South Beach Diet is amazing. As hard as it is for me to say no to dessert - or any other delicious carb filled food for that matter - I've done it a couple times and it hasn't failed me.

The biggest challenge of being on the South Beach Diet is creating tasty and filling meals that abide by the "allowed" phase one foods list. I attribute much of my dieting success to MH, his culinary creativity provides me with meals that fit the bill in every category.

Tonight we made a Vietnamese steak noodle salad. Using tofu shirataki noodles, this dish is South Beach Diet approved!

The magic and wonder of tofu shirataki noodles deserve a post of their own. Somehow, they are: low carb (3 grams/serving), low calorie (20 calories/serving), cholesterol-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, AND contain 10% calcium!

Croc·a·ma·mie!

I don't know what made me do it, but I did. I gave into the cockamamie Croc craze.

Call me silly all you want, but they are light weight and comfortable. Plus, every time I look at them I can't help but to smile. They are purple!

It's All In The Crust

On our way home from our camping trip we passed through Oxnard, home of the annual California Strawberry Festival, and picked up some strawberries. I think the strawberry season hasn't quite hit it's peak, but their wonderful fragrance inspired me to make a fresh strawberry cream pie.

It was my first attempt at making a traditional pie crust from scratch and I think it turned out pretty well. I love all of the decorative touches you can add to the edge of the crust to give it a different look and enjoyed the challenge of making the braid for this one. Pies are another wonderful form of artwork!

The Delicious Ones Are Always Bad For You

Several years ago, MH brought home a photocopy of the LA Times recipe for a brown sugar pound cake with a caramel glaze. The photo of the cake looked divine, but the pound of sugar, 5 eggs, and 3 sticks of butter that the recipe required made me file this recipe away for another day.

With the weekend Easter festivities and round 3 of my diet lurking around the corner, I decided to to make Sunday that day.

The cake was moist and delicious and the glaze complimented the cake nicely. If it weren't for my diet, I would be enjoying a piece right now. It is great with cup of coffee, a glass of milk, or just to have as a morning/afternoon snack. Yes, it is just one of those kinds of cakes.

Beachside Camping? Yes, Please!

With a three day weekend upon us, MH and I decided to go camping. We lucked out and got the last camping reservation at Refugio State Park for the weekend. When we got there, we realized why the campground filled up so quickly too. The site is relatively small and the "premium" camp sites are ocean front. After we set up camp, we took a stroll down the beach, and enjoyed the view.

Although it was a little windy in the evening and throughout the night, it didn't rain and it wasn't too cold. We listened to the palm trees sway in the wind as we drifted off to sleep at night. The only bummer was that you could also hear the traffic on the 101 and the trains as they rumbled by.

In the morning, MH and I enjoyed a bike ride to the neighboring beaches and on our way back a lady bug hitched a ride with MH in his hair. I guess luck was on our side this weekend!

Which Mission Did You Study?

In 4th grade, California public school students learn about California's missions. I can't remember which mission I picked or was assigned but while MH and I were passing through Santa Barbara this past weekend we decided to stop and visit the Santa Barbara Mission. Unfortunately, mass was in session so visitors could not tour the inside but we wandered around for a bit admiring the exterior since it was such a beautiful day.

Santa Barbara Mission facade


A nifty looking cactus at the Mission


The fountain in the courtyard