Asian Market Discoveries

Let me start by saying that I'm a pretty adventurous person and when it comes to trying new foods...I'll try most anything. Except for weird looking, smelling, or super gross texture stuff. It's my mom who did this to me, she would always say, "Laura, try it at least once...if you don't like it you NEVER have to have it again." I'm pretty sure every mom has used that line once or a million times to get their child to eat. It worked wonders with my mom...I just ate at the pace of turtle. Oh, I used to drive her crazy doing so! Anyway--I like trying different foods so that I can say that I have. I'm definitely not going to turn into Andrew Zimmern, but a few new things here and there are good.

So one weekend in our new home we went to an Asian market to, in a trying not to be tourist way, "See what it's all about". I just love going to Asian markets and discovering new fruits, meats?, and desserts that they have. We went to a store called, Uwajimaya. This store is a chain and they have a few locations in the Seattle area. I really had to compare it to a few of the Asian markets in Texas...Garland, TX area to be specific. This place was both spectacular and a little bit of a downer. At one of the markets in Garland, they had a cute little tank with the cutest little turtles...awww. Not so much, I saw one of the employees reach in, snatch one up, and take it over to a cutting board to crush the shell and ultimately turn in into a turtle soup. tear. Uwajimaya is not like that...it doesn't smell like an old fish market and has not one poor, helpless, defenseless, sweet young snapping turtle in sight. (I hope and pray they don't have a Dexter style "kill room" in the back...imagine the amount of plastic to cover a back room in a grocery store.)

Pictures are super-sized for your viewing pleasure.

This picture is of the refrigerated dessert section. We bought and tried Mochi Ice Cream. I just really didn't like it...at all. The texture is a little to varied. There is a jelly type texture mixed with a frozen texture and covered in a weird BC Powder type thingy. I did try it though. They are on the bottom right in the picture.  

I was told by my co-worker who said that this is dried squid. I actually want to try it!

That's all for now!

XOfromSeattle,

Laura

Christmas Planning...is this too early?

Christmas is one of my most favorite Holidays! I love the colors, music, and spending time with my family. There are so many things that I love that I'm going to make this is 1,000,000 part post....just kidding, but I am going to highlight a few of my favorite things about Christmas.

Top three things are: Advent Calendars, Yummy foods, and going to Christmas Eve service at church.

1) Advent Calendar- My mom has an advent calendar that we've had in our family since my sister was born (a long time ago), and I have always loved moving the little Christmas mouse from day to day! No candy rewards either, but I was ok with it!

I did a search and found a few other advent calendars that I think are so cute and creative:

This from DaberDoo on Etsy...it may be sold out, not sure!

Such an adorable idea, found on Vanilla Joy: Making Up & Over blog

I love that you can hide little treats and toys in these stockings...use old socks too.

Also found on Vanilla Joy: Making Up & Over blog

This is my shabby chic look and totally homemade! Found on Maya Made.

This is a 2 part Advent calendar that I think is my favorite...it reminds me of the one that I grew up with:

 The dates are little pockets , filled with the cute little cards that are so fun...I love the one about decorating cookies. It's such a great way to stay close to your family.

I found this nifty idea on All Things Simple!!

More to come...my favorite foodie items are coming next!! I can't wait to share those. I may have a problem, food makes me too happy. (seeking out a therapist...maybe)

XO from Seattle,

Laura

New random things....

Weird title huh? I know it is super vague and doesn't say, "Our weekend...", but don't be alarmed. I wanted to post some of my latest likes in my little world.

This is our front door actually! I hate it because it looks like an apartment. It is an apartment, but still it doesn't feel homey. So I made a wreath awhile back with really pretty green flowers for the summer and just changed the same one up. I added pretty leaves, reddish hydrangea, and more corks. I like the way it turned out and we are the only ones to have a wreath on the door!

OMG!!! I'm a true Texan and would prefer a Dublin Dr. Pepper over any other drink and have at least three a day. However, if I did then I wouldn't be able to fit in chairs, cars, or clothes. So I found a new love in Coke Zero, until I saw this!! Dr. Pepper has come out with a Dr. Pepper 10, and it is so awesome. I have NEVER thought the Diet Dr. Pepper tasted like real Dr. Pepper and this sweet little bottle with 10 calories tastes about 92% like the real thing. I just have to figure out which one I love most, Coke Zero or Dr. Pepper 10?! Oh, the troubles in my life. (Also, I hate the marketing route that they took for Dr. Pepper 10.)

Um, have you seen this at your local Sports Authority? I happened upon this over the weekend and am just shocked at the ingenuity of people. Get this, it's a grill, griddle, hot plate, and fryer ALL in one! This is a tailgaters dream...well maybe some kind of dream! :) Mark and I stood and stared at this creature for about 10 minutes, only after then to go and inspect the details of it for about another 10. It is just so cool, but I don't want it...for the same reasons why I don't drink Dublin Dr. Pepper!

Had to get a photo of the central command station too!

I'm so happy that Fall is here! There are some really awesome things that are on the way. Mark and I will be celebrating an anniversary, my Birthday, Thanksgiving, my Mom coming to visit, and then Christmas!! I love this time of year! 

A few randoms to start the week!

I have been busy the past few days and want to make sure and keep everyone up to date! Mark and I had a wonderful weekend and just enjoyed our time together. We went antiquing, estate sale shopping, and eating out. This was a cheat meal, turned into a weekend event. I made him promise that we would work out everyday this week...I love the results that we have seen and want to keep it up!

I have also been consumed with Pinterest...I love it! Follow my Pinterest here! There are so many fun and inventive ideas that fuel my crafty/cooking side. My coworkers are going to gain about 100lbs. I'm constantly bringing goodies for them to try...better them than me! I like to spoil people! On the agenda tomorrow are Halloween cupcakes: dark chocolate cupcakes with milk chocolate frosting and Halloween sprinkles. Yummm.... 

On our way from the estate sale on Sunday, we found the cutest shopping village in Bothell, WA. It's called Country Village Shops. This small indoor/outdoor shopping village has some really cute stores, and a really good diner style restaurant. Also, there are chicken that roam freely and a duck pond with TONS of duck! I can't wait to bring my mom, Carrie, and Reagan to this place when they come and visit.  It also has a little train that goes around the village for the little tykes to ride around it...I wanted to ride, but would have been the only one over 6, so I didn't. (Can I rent a kid for about 30-45 minutes?) The three stores that I loved the most are: The The Well Dressed Home, The Weed Patch, and Town Hall Antique Mall. WE made a very nice purchase from the antique mall...but I have to save the project for another post.

This is the view right at the front door of The weed Patch. I took this photo and send it to my mom and sister...I bet they were so jealous. This store is SO them!

I've also really gotten back into reading. I decided that on my way into/from work that I will read, so that's what I've done. I like to read books that make me think and wanted to start with something fun, so I stumbled upon Following Polly by Karen Bergreen. I read this book in 4 days! I loved it...it was an easy read for me and I liked the character development in the book. It's a "Who dun it?" type of book, that has some good twists and turns along the way! I want to read more books...any suggestions for me?

Read it! There is also a great app that I found called "Goodreads"...you can find some awesome recommendations here and rants as well.

I found a blogger, who shall remain nameless simply because I forget. Oops! :) Who recommended trying these two products if you want your hair to have volume and keep the volume throughout the day. Helped this low-life hair of mine. I went to Ulta to buy by products and I'm about 90% pleased with the way my hair turned out today. The only thing I didn't like is with the BigSexyHair product. I think I sprayed it too close and it seems a little bit crusty, but I'm bound a determined to make it work.

Products:

• Kenra #25: Volume Spray
• BigSexyHair: Root Pump

  A little inspiration before I go...

I hope that I make some head way with making my Halloween costume this week, I guess I have too! I can't wait to unveil my idea (whether it's good or bad). I also have some more recipes coming up...this is going to be a wonderful Fall!

XO from Seattle,
Laura

Blueberry Chai Smoothie

As I was cleaning out my refrigerator over the weekend, I found a carton of blueberries that I bought at the store a few days ago. They were still in really good shape, so I decided to use them in a smoothie. I have been loving smoothies ever since I had my dental emergency and my only option to eat was for it to be liquefied. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to add to it, but then I remembered the Black Scottie Chai that I bought at the Issaquah Salmon Days festival a few weekends ago. I loved the taste of it, and it's so sweet that I have to really dilute it with skim milk and ice to get it right where I want. I decided that it would be perfect for this smoothie giving just the right sweetness. And guess what?...I was right! On to the recipe:

Be warned: This recipe makes about 24oz of smoothie, so you can make it for you and a friend or freeze the rest and save it.

• 1 pint blueberries
• 3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup Skim milk
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbs of Chai concentrate
• 8-10 ice cubes

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and make into a yummy and healthy smoothie!! You can add substitutes to the smoothie in order to suit your tastes.

Here is what the smoothie looks like! It is so super tasty!

Chai Tea concentrate by Black Scottie

This my preferred yogurt. I add it to my Kashi in the morning as well!

Also here is what I am cooking for dinner tonight. I'm making Frito pies with the turkey chili. It is perfect for the chilly weather today. I'm also super excited about making chicken corn chowder for dinner one night this week. :)

Enjoy your day!

XO from Seattle,

Laura 

In the kitchen with Laura...

I've always wanted to try a recipe by "The Pioneer Woman! She has an incredible blog, TV show, and hilarious personality! So, I decided to try a recipe that Ree Drumond, The Pioneer Woman posted a long time ago. I receive her updates and found the recipe on Pinterest, so I knew I had to try it. I love the idea of monkey bread, but we don't need a big serving and this smaller version was perfect! I know I will make it again and take it to work.

Here is the recipe that she uses: Monkey Muffins. I went along with her recipe, but I know that I will be changing it up on my next attempt at making them.

I took the easy way out and made them with refrigerated dough...it's a no brainer for me. I don't have the patience to wait for dough to rise, unless its a holiday. And using the easier recipe was so fast and is a great treat to make before I head off to work! Here are some before and after photos of the Monkey Muffins.

So here are a few alterations that I would make:

• adding toasted pecans to the top before baking
• mixing my cinnamon and sugar together so that they can evenly disperse during baking
• ....maybe adding raisins to appease to the man in my life!
• dare I say add some chocolate? The would be a palette overload, but so delicious!

Now for my second recipe: Let me warn you...there are no pictures for this recipe. I'm so sorry, but you will be able to visualize it. :) I was craving shrimp last night and the grocery store had a super cheap steal of a price for the shrimp. I snatched it up, along with a bottle of Teriyaki sauce and decided to make up a quick recipe. We bought some bags of frozen veggies and one of them happened to be a stir-fry mix of veggies with greens beans, onion, broccoli, and mushroom. So here is my attempt to create Asian food.

Ingredients:

• Boil-in-a-bag brown rice
• Wok Oil (see below, I love the flavors in this high-heat oil)
• Frozen bag of Asian Stir Fry veggies
• 3/4 pound of medium shrimp (40-45 per lb., cooked, peeled, no tail)
• 2 tablespoons of Teriyaki sauce

Directions:

• Boil rice according to package
• Saute the frozen veggies until heated in a saute pan with the Wok oil
• Once the rice is cooked add it to the veggies, and give it a good amount of soy sauce...totally up to you!
• Then add the shrimp and teriyaki sauce and mix gently, but well!

Enjoy! It's a simple and 15 minute meal that tastes great and is Semi-healthy!

Ummm..P.S.: "The Pioneer Woman makes a really yummy iced coffee recipe. I have it in the fridge now stored in my SunTea pitcher! Here is the Perfect Iced Coffee recipe.

XO from Seattle,
Laura

Late update of our fun calorie filled weekend!

This past weekend was so much fun! We really want to set out and do as many fun things before the so called "dreaded weather" heads in. Mark found a really helpful website that posts a ton of events and we found a few fun things to do.

On Saturday we headed to Issaquah, WA which is only about 20 minutes from our house to the "Issaquah Salmon days". This event has been celebrated for over 40 years and it marks the release of the salmon back into the rivers and lakes after laying their eggs at the Issaquah hatchery. The hatchery has helped to save so many salmon, so that the Eco-system can stay healthy and pollutant free. I wish I knew more about the Earth...I should invest learning. hmmm.... But this was pretty cool to learn! There were so many people and the turn out was awesome!

On Sunday, we went to the Mobile Chowdown in West Seattle! Wow...this was an awesome event! The event is a total hit for Seattleites...the LOVE their food truck and are lucky to have some of the best in America! I'm so happy that Dallas is now zoned to be able to have them...I'm only sad that I wasn't there to sample their tasty treats! This was an We found out that there was about 6000 people that showed up to the event. We were lucky and stalked a couple found a parking space close to the event...most of it was just street parking. They had the main road closed in the downtown area, and there were about 20 or so trucks, all with really long lines of about 60 people deep. Oh my gosh, it was worth the wait. We started with Mark in one line and me in another. By the time I got my food from the short line Mark got his from the long line, so we sat down with our grub and gorged!! Ugh...I can still feel the pain from eating so much food.



Mini slider, Beecher's Mac & Cheese, 2 types of pulled pork sandwich, and a healthy fish taco! Can I get an amen?!

 After we ate the savory foods, it was onto the sweets!! My ultimate favorite, and due to my diet of carrots and water, I haven't been able to partake! We stood in the longest line for these guys, and they only had 4 types of donuts. Now, this is where things started to get blurry and my mind goes a little blank. I was so sick from eating all of this food, I could almost not even walk! I moaned and groaned from fullness all the way back to the car after our sweet treats. But it was SO worth it, and everyone who saw our donuts were so jealous. I mean, look at the little yummies!!


Mini Donut Place...so delicious!!



Cinnamon and Caramel



Peanut and Chocolate

On our way home we went to go and get Mark and haircut and I convinced his stylist to give him a fauxhawk! It was so hilarious...and he kept looking in the mirror and laughing. I was just so smitten to see his hair different. We went to the grocery store after, and he had this complex about it, and kept saying, "I feel like a badass!!". I'm hoping I can get him to do that to his hair again soon!

Recipes are in the next blog: Monkey Bread muffins and Shrimp Teriyaki with Rice....