I had the best birthday weekend ever!!! It all started Friday when I got to work and my desk was all decorated!! Then lunch with a cake "shot." Dinner at Bourbon House with my cousins! Then the surprise party! I was so beyond surprised. I heard screaming and just thought it was some idiots yelling on a balcony ... just typical Bourbon. Then I saw Lacey looking up, so I looked up and realized that I knew all those people yelling! It was perfect!! Yall are amazing, I am so lucky to have such awesome friends and family! Saturday the family just hung out and we got sushi. Sunday we had party #2 at the house with friends and family ... made Maw Maw's gumbo and just hung out. I just wish I had more pictures ... so I will have to collect everyone else's ... that way I can remember this PERFECT BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!! Here are just a few.
2.25.2008
SUNDAY DINNER ... CHINESE
Our newest kitchen adventure was 2 sundays ago ... and this time it was china style. My family has a serious love affair with all Asian food. Inspiration for this particular Sunday's Dinner was P.F. Chang's. We have been cooking fried rice and won-tons for a long time, but this time we decided to add Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Honey Crispy Chicken. And it went something like this .... 
FOR THE CHICKEN SEASONING:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into medium size chunks
1 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. corn starch
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup sake or rice wine
1/2 cup honey
3 oz. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
6 Tbsp. sugar
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
Vegetable oil for frying (plus 2 tbsp for finishing sauce)
TO FINISH THE SAUCE:
cornstarch slurry (1/4 cup corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup water)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
red bell pepper and/or scallions, julienne
TO SERVE:
Crispy noodles, rice or egg noodles or steamed rice
TO MAKE THE BATTER:
Mix ingredients for the batter together till just combined. Let rest in refrigerator for a couple of hours.
TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
Coat chicken well with seasonings and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:
Combine sauce ingredients, mix thoroughly and reserve for serving.
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
Pour vegetable oil into fryer or heavy bottomed sauce pot. Heat slowly to 340-350 degrees.
Put 1/4 of the marinated chicken in a clean bowl and pour enough batter over to coat. Remove a few pieces at a time from the batter, using slotted spoon or large fork. Shake off excess batter. Carefully lower chicken into the hot oil. Suspend the chicken until the batter "sets," 20-30 seconds. Chicken is done when golden to light brown and crisp. Remove to platter with paper towels to drain. Repeat for all the chicken. Remember to check the oil temperature, it must remain hot.
TO FINISH THE SAUCE:
Heat the reserved sauce in sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add cornstarch slurry, a little at a time. The sauce will thicken, let it come to a thickness of "loose honey." Let cook for a minute or two.
Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a wok and add some minced garlic, red bell pepper and scallions and stir-fry briefly.
Add 1/3 to 1/2 of the chicken (depending on pan size) and stir-fry briefly. Add enough sauce to just coat chicken. Stir-fry again briefly.
TO SERVE:
Serve over noodles or rice.
The Ingredients (sadly minus some)
The Shiitake Mushroom!! This little mushroom amazes me ... and this is why. Ancient Oriental healers have used it for centuries to help with a host of ailments (I would go into all of that but some are not table friendly and we are talking about cooking and eating food ... so we won't go there). But this little mushroom is great for your skin, it has even been called the Fountain of Youth. It has also been proven to help with cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, viral infections and even AIDS. Researchers are pumping major cash into this little mushroom to really see how much it can do. Pretty amazing.
And they are really cute! haha
WON-TONS
This recipe isn’t really formal … we just kinda add until it tastes right. We use shrimp or crawfish that we put into a food processor then add it to cream cheese. We put some green onions in the mix and then add (of course) Tony chachere ‘s until it tastes right. As the pictures depict …
1. Lay out the won-ton wraps
2. Add a spoon full of the stuffing
3. Rub a scrambles egg onto 2 sides
4. Fold and fry
These are soooo good. The great thing about this recipe and the Fried Rice is that they are great recipes that are easy and for us are usually made from left-overs. Left-over boiled shrimp and left over rice.
SHRIMP FRIED RICE
This recipe is also just made up as we go along, it’s the kinda thing you can pretty much add whatever to (whatever is in the fridge). We also use onions, egg, soy sauce and rice of course. The best is day old rice. We start with the egg, then add the onions and whatever else we are throwing in there (such as the shrimp). Let everything cook down, then add the rice and soy until its browned and tastes just right. Quick, easy and oh so good!
PF CHANG'S CHINA BISTRO CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
INGREDIENTS:
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons water
salt and pepper
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, minced
5 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis (optional)
1 8 oz. can bamboo shoots, minced
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, fried in oil for a minute or two, until they puff nicely.
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons water
salt and pepper
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, minced
5 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis (optional)
1 8 oz. can bamboo shoots, minced
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, fried in oil for a minute or two, until they puff nicely.
COOKING SAUCE:
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Lettuce of your choice to make lettuce "cups" (Butter or Bibb lettuce is my choice.)
DIRECTIONS:
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain.
Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms. Set aside.
Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside.
In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken.
Stir to coat chicken thoroughly.
Stir in 1 teaspoon oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat.
When the pan smokes a bit, add 3 tablespoons oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3-4 minuts. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan.
Add ginger, garlic, chilis (if desired), and onion.
Stir- fry about a minute or so.
Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 minutes.
Return chicken to pan.
Add mixed cooking sauce to pan.
Cook until thickened and hot.
Break the cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with them.
Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles.
Spoon into lettuce leaf "cups" and roll.
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Lettuce of your choice to make lettuce "cups" (Butter or Bibb lettuce is my choice.)
DIRECTIONS:
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain.
Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms. Set aside.
Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside.
In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken.
Stir to coat chicken thoroughly.
Stir in 1 teaspoon oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat.
When the pan smokes a bit, add 3 tablespoons oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3-4 minuts. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan.
Add ginger, garlic, chilis (if desired), and onion.
Stir- fry about a minute or so.
Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 minutes.
Return chicken to pan.
Add mixed cooking sauce to pan.
Cook until thickened and hot.
Break the cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with them.
Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles.
Spoon into lettuce leaf "cups" and roll.
P.F. CHANG'S CHINA BISTRO CRISPY HONEY CHICKEN
FOR THE BATTER:
4 oz. all purpose flour
2 1/2 oz. cornstarch
1 egg
6 oz. water
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
FOR THE BATTER:
4 oz. all purpose flour
2 1/2 oz. cornstarch
1 egg
6 oz. water
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
FOR THE CHICKEN SEASONING:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into medium size chunks
1 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. corn starch
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup sake or rice wine
1/2 cup honey
3 oz. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
6 Tbsp. sugar
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
Vegetable oil for frying (plus 2 tbsp for finishing sauce)
TO FINISH THE SAUCE:
cornstarch slurry (1/4 cup corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup water)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
red bell pepper and/or scallions, julienne
TO SERVE:
Crispy noodles, rice or egg noodles or steamed rice
TO MAKE THE BATTER:
Mix ingredients for the batter together till just combined. Let rest in refrigerator for a couple of hours.
TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
Coat chicken well with seasonings and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:
Combine sauce ingredients, mix thoroughly and reserve for serving.
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
Pour vegetable oil into fryer or heavy bottomed sauce pot. Heat slowly to 340-350 degrees.
Put 1/4 of the marinated chicken in a clean bowl and pour enough batter over to coat. Remove a few pieces at a time from the batter, using slotted spoon or large fork. Shake off excess batter. Carefully lower chicken into the hot oil. Suspend the chicken until the batter "sets," 20-30 seconds. Chicken is done when golden to light brown and crisp. Remove to platter with paper towels to drain. Repeat for all the chicken. Remember to check the oil temperature, it must remain hot.
TO FINISH THE SAUCE:
Heat the reserved sauce in sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add cornstarch slurry, a little at a time. The sauce will thicken, let it come to a thickness of "loose honey." Let cook for a minute or two.
Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a wok and add some minced garlic, red bell pepper and scallions and stir-fry briefly.
Add 1/3 to 1/2 of the chicken (depending on pan size) and stir-fry briefly. Add enough sauce to just coat chicken. Stir-fry again briefly.
TO SERVE:
Serve over noodles or rice.
THE RESULT
2.16.2008
ELIJAH "ELI" BRADLEY
Speaking of little ones ... this is the newest addition Elijah "Eli" Bradley born Feb. 13th at 10:40, 7 lbs 15 oz, 20 in. I'm so proud of Leigh, she is going to be an awesome mom.
He sleeps with his mouth wide open, just like daddy and paw paw! He fits right in!
Momma's boy! Momma looked awesome for just giving birth if I do say so myself!
The little Family.
I LOVE THIS ONE!!!
Nanny Lacey
DEAD ON
So I was checking out my horoscope and it really freaked me out because it is soooo dead on ....
The problem with children is they are expensive. You're finding that out this week, aren't you? Even if you have no kids of your own, you are likely to be finding that a niece, nephew or younger sibling is emptying your pockets nearly as fast as you fill them.
In the past 2 weeks I have bought gifts for Paige, Parker, Eli and Addison! I have spent a small fortune, but its worth it for my favorite little ones! Its so strange that a horoscope that is so specific would be dead on.
2.11.2008
BABY PUMBA aka Paige Frances
In june of last year, my little cousin Parker (4 yr old) threw a penny into a fountain and wish for a little sister. Two weeks later his mother, my cousin Dede (who had been trying to get pregnant for almost 2 years), found out she was pregnant!! When Parker was asked what he wanted to name "his baby," he thought about it for a second and replied PUMBA MONKEY! Since that day forward the baby has been called Pumba. Dede wanted the sex of the baby to be a surprise this time, which was killing all of us and deep down I think everyone was hoping for a girl. Parker definitely wanted a girl and sure enough he got what he wished for! Pumba aka Paige Frances was born Jan. 24th, 7 lb, 19 in! So I spent the last six days in Houston visiting. It was so hard to leave, I miss them so much already and who knows when I'll get to see them next. Its so weird to think Dede use to live around the corner and come over for dinner almost every night. She use to pick us up from school all the time and get french fries and frosties to dip them in! Then she moved to Lafayette, which was kinda cool when I was at LSU because I visited a lot and got to babysit Parker every once in awhile! Now they are just soooo far away!!! I know they are happy though, and miss us too ... so its all good! So here are some pictures, most of the pictures I took were on Dede's camera ... so I will put those up when she posts them. We got some really cute ones of Pumba on her camera.
Of course we took pictures right before we left ... my mom and ash would die if they knew I posted these! haha ... oh well ... its the only ones of us and pumba.
She was tired of the Paparazzi
He is so excited about his little pumba baby
Parker's favorite things to do was torture Oscar ... he was definitely ready to go home!
Of course we took pictures right before we left ... my mom and ash would die if they knew I posted these! haha ... oh well ... its the only ones of us and pumba.
This is the closest to normal picture I got, he has stalling techniques! Once in Lafayette, I was trying to rush out to get to class and I turn around to find him bringing my bag back inside! This is why I almost cried when we left ... he kills me and the thought that Paige is going to be so big when I see her next!
MARDI GRAS 2008
Its been awhile ... quick updates!
This was the first year in a long time that I actually watched the parades .... and it was so much fun! Krewe D'Etat had me peeing in my pants laughing ... the floats were absolutely hilarious!! Yet, Muses is definitely my favorite ... its all women and it revolves around what women love most ... SHOES!!!! Their throws are the cutest ever ... although we did not catch one, they throw real shoes that are personally decorated by the krewe. Kind of like the Zulu coconuts. To learn more about my two favorites, visit their websites!! Endymion, Bacchus and Morpheus were also awesome ... great parties with great people! Although I do not have time for a full fledge Mardi Gras lesson today (since I have 4 big tests coming up) ... I will surely make time later! Especially since its such a huge part of New Orleans, and it pretty much kicks off festival season!!! Which I am super excited for and looking forward to blogging about!
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