Pad Thai

So I went way out of my comfort zone and made pad thai.  I grew up in a small farming community and wasn't exposed to a lot of different food. It wasn't until I was an adult I got to try new things, from different cultures. One day out of blue while ordering lunch for work, my coworker suggested I try some pad thai, and I really liked it. But because I didn't eat a lot of asian food I had no idea how to make it, let alone just what was in it.  Through the years, I tried it at different places, and it always tasted just about the same, but always good. It wasn't a dish, like Shepard's Pie, where depending on who is making it, it can taste completely different and can be really, really gross.  So for a while now, I have been picking up items here and there to make it, the rice noodles one time, the sauce another, I was, I thought, finally ready to attempt it.

But the day of I needed to get bean sprouts, so we ran by the store and I picked up a few items, while getting the sprouts. After I got home and checked the recipe again I realized I also needed to get green onions as I call them, scallions as others call them, well la de la. They are just green onions. So back to the store I went.

I won't add the recipe again, because I just used what was on the box, anyone can find it. But I read it over and I figured I was good to go.

I started soaking the noodles, and prepping everything else. Chopping the peanuts, and onions, cleaning and de-veining the shrimp. Something that was another first for me, I didn't think it would be so easy, you should trust yourself and just go for it. I heated the oil, got the egg, and shrimp in, the noodles started cooking. It is cool how they sort of deflate and get soft.  All while I am doing this the bread I made is in the oven. This by the way, was the hottest day of the year so far, both the oven and stove wasn't making it much better. I got everything else in, and I was finished. Yahoo!

I called my son in to try it, while it was still hot. We were both down to our last bites when a DUH moment happened, I realized I left the bean sprouts out. It was still good, we didn't notice, but I can see how they add to the dish. Next time, I will focus on one thing at a time, and bake the bread after I eat.  But what do you do with two cups of bean sprouts?  I guess I need to find another great recipe to try.  One thing I have to admit is that I used pre-made sauce, I wanted to deal with using rice noodles and not have to worry about  trying another recipe at the same time. So maybe after the next couple of times I make this, I will attempt to make the sauce also.

It was a nice change to the usual thing. I can say my mother never made anything close to it when I was growing up. I am hoping that when my children look back they can say that their mom was awesome, and could make anything.

You can see the bread, with the melting butter on top, the rolls in the back. Also I didn't think to take a photo of the pad thai until it was all gone, but you can tell we enjoyed it.

Wheat bread part II

Well, I was able to make bread yesterday, and let's just say, don't attempt to make bread and pad thai at the the same time. You might end up blowing both of them.

It didn't burn thank goodness, but the crust was pretty tough. But if you top it with butter it will get real soft, which it did, I am going to use that trick in the future. I also wanted to know if the kneading time would make a difference, and it seemed to. The bread was a bit softer in the middle. A bit too doughy for me, but my husband seemed to like it better. I also let it rise longer than before, not sure how much difference that made, so I guess next time I will knead more and rise more.

I know this seems repetitive, I just want to get good at making bread, I want to accomplish something for once.  I have a few other recipes I might try, but I want to master this one first, so I know how I can alter ones in the future. I won't be posting the recipe, because it isn't mine, I am using the wheat bread one from the Better Homes and Garden cook book. I did make one change, I heated the water in the microwave, just to save a bit of time really.  I don't think that makes too much difference. I also only have one loaf pan, so I made rolls with the rest, they are the best to have on hand when you have a very hungry teenager around. Easy to grab and eat.

This bread really reminds me of the type my mom made when I was little. I like eating it with cheddar cheese.  I am glad that I am able to make bread from scratch that I hope has less salt and fat, but maybe it doesn't. But I know it is healthier because there isn't anything extra in it.

Well it has been a while...

I have to say it have been months, and months. But what can I say, I just had a baby. You kind of get lost when you have a child. Everything is a new experience even if you have other children. You have to figure out how to make things work all over again. Add to it a baby that won't sleep very long during the day and it is a whole other struggle with time. I would love to have him nap 2 times a day rather than for 25 minutes 4 times a day.

But I have to say I have stumbled upon a whole new way of looking at food and losing weight, or maybe getting healthy. I know me, and I know my body, I am not the type to say no to something that is in the house that I want to eat, I have no will power and no ability to wait to indulge in something I am craving. So to this end, I needed to change how I shop. I can't just buy what sounds good, I need to buy things that are good for you. So no more junk in the cart. But I can't just buy fruits and veggies and call it good. I need variety. So I picked up new sauces, and new things I haven't cooked with. The other thing is I need to be hands on with my food to enjoy the experience even more. Plus, if I am going to the trouble to cook, I want to have it around after I put forth effort.  You know left overs.

So that is what I have done for the last two weeks. So far I have really enjoyed it. I was able to make bread twice, something I struggle with and each time it has gotten better, much better. I think I will make some more today. I need a faster recipe though, the last one took over four hours, who has that time? For tonight I am going to make Pad Thai, I am excited about that one. I haven't made it before, just eaten it many many times. I want to be more hands on, and adventurous.  I am hoping with this new mind set I will be eating healthier, and eating less, and be more active. Do you know what it feels like to make homemade bread, it really works your batwing muscle. Let's not forget your core muscles. So here is to new beginnings, I might need to change my blog name, and add photos. So here it goes, cheers!!!

What I really want.

So I haven't posted in a long while, not that it matters really.  No one sees this, and when someone does happen upon it, it must be really boring.  So who cares, blogging is all about personal vanity anyway. It is a self centered way to get attention, we all know it.  In the long run it doesn't really effect a persons life or how they live it.

But I did want to vent, so here I go, what I really want is to have my husband act like he really likes me.  That he is really attracted to me.  I want him to react to me like he would to a glass of water after walking through a desert.  Is that too much to ask for?  I want him to be set on fire at the thought of me.  I want him to kiss me, grab me, throw me on the bed, and ravish me. 

What I don't want, is him coming home all sullen, and moody.  I don't want him to ignore my sexting, I don't want him to fall asleep in bed while I am talking to him. I don't want him spending more time in the morning on his hair than on his wife. I would love to be held at night, even if it was just one hand on my hip. I would love a passionate kiss when he walked in the door.

I am tired of feeling like the babysitter, someone who is only here to make sure the baby is all right.  I really need this, I am having another baby soon, and then we won't be able to do anything for weeks, and we will be super tired and worn out, so we won't want to.  I just want me husband to want me, really is that too much to ask for?

NYE

NYE??? Really, New Years Eve, is just too much to write or say?  Why do we always feel the need to shorten things?  Are we trying to make things happen faster, to get things done sooner, to make things seem smaller, less important?  Do we need things that immediate that we shorten it to get it to us faster, so we can move on to the next big thing, that we will try to minimize?  Why can't we just savor things for a bit longer?

I don't have plans for tonight, well not what anyone would call true plans, but I do plan on staying in, snuggling with my hubby, and going to bed early. We don't need to stay up late to see the new year coming in, as a nephew once said; What, this is it, nothing happens at Midnight, no big flash, nor loud noises, or explosions? He was disappointed, and I don't blame him, the first time he gets to stay up on New Years and he learns it is no big deal, same thing as every other night.

I feel sort of melancholy about not having some great plans, but at the same time blessed.  Sure we didn't get a single invite anywhere, and no one is wishes we were there with them, it is okay.  We aren't big social people, we don't have big parties, we don't invite family over often. Maybe it is a good thing, we are sick most of the time, and pretty surly anyway. We would just end up pissing people off, and offending them. We are blessed because we are a married couple that enjoy each others company, love to be together and just want to spend the night with just us, in our safe and warm home.  Which sounds like what a lot of other people are doing this year. We will eat tons of junk, drink plenty of cold soda, and sleep in fresh clean sheets, the sheets depend on me getting off my ass and getting them washed. But this is something I really want to ring in the New Year's with, fresh clean sheets. I love them. 

I have felt pretty good this week, sure the weather has turned extra cold, we have a ton of snow, and I am still in my jammies most days, I am happy.  I haven't felt too down this week, which is surprising for me, the only thing that really got me down is knowing we are approaching a whole new year, a new beginning, a chance to make it all fresh and new, and that can seem daunting, but like this past year, I just need to take it one step at a time.  One day at a time. This new year is going to speed by, because of the birth of my next baby, that always makes time just speed by. Maybe that has added to my new feeling of peace, knowing it is soon over with, I will soon have my baby, and will soon no longer be pregnant. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the bad things pregnancies brings, we forget to just enjoy it, to feel the baby moving, to find the perfect name, to have all those hopes and dreams you have, while thinking of what your child's life will be like. It is all endless, the possibilities.

Even if it isn't just that, that makes me feel good, I am happy that I had a good emotional week, it is nice to feel normal, and well adjusted. I hope this feeling carries into the next year.

Depressed

I read that people who are depressed tend to talk behind people's backs more. Which I guess isn't surprising.  They themselves are feeling negative and down, so they want to bring everyone else down with them.  It has just made me think about my life, and how I am very quick sometimes to gossip and say nasty things, so I guess it is another thing to add to my list of things to improve.  I guess they found that happy people say positive things, pass on compliments and notice people's good points.  I can see the difference, I know when I am happier, I don't reflect on the bad so much.

But just when am I happier? 

I need to focus on that, and figure out what makes me happy. I know being with my children and husband makes me happy.  Reading a good book makes me happy. Fresh beautiful fallen snow makes me happy. Knowing I am trying to be a better person helps as well. So I guess I will have to just keep trying.

Being a Jerk.

I am not really a jerk, I am just a pregnant lady. It is hard being a pregnant lady, your body goes through all sorts of changes, and you mind does as well. You are carrying around another life form, that can suck the life out of you. You don't get enough sleep, you have to pee all the time, and you can't even put your shoes and socks on. Tell me that wouldn't piss you off. Picking up the front room is almost impossible. There is no end to what happens to you when you get pregnant, those warning announcements at the end of the drug commercials have nothing on being pregnant, side effects include; vomiting, gasiness, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, loss of appetite, increased appetite, loss of memory, tiredness, fatigue, moodiness, dry skin, itchy breast, swollen nipples, hemorrhoids, hair loss, extreme hair growth, clumsiness, loss of memory, etc, etc, etc. 

I could go on and on, and yet, people don't seem to get that yes, I will get short with you, yes I will cry at the drop of a hat, yes I will be moody and bitchy for almost no apparent reason, but I can't control this, I can't shut it off, it just happens. I don't know what I am saying, or wanting or needing anymore than you do.  I will be in the middle of screaming and I am thinking, what the hell? Why am I yelling?  Why am I upset about this?
 
Do you think I like feeling that a stranger has taken over my body?

Maybe it is just me, maybe I am the only pregnant lady that feels this way. Who knows. But I will tell you this, asking me why I am acting like a jerk does not help the situation. I mean, would you want to be the person that takes away the lions food, no, no one would so why on earth would you make a pregnant lady more pissed off?

Just try to love me, and show me that you understand, please, that is all I ask, and well maybe for a few hugs and lots and lots of chocolate.