Brunch for the Baby Bump!

One of my closest friends is going to be a mama in less than 3 months!

The idea of me throwing a baby shower for her 6 months ago would have been laughable! But it's funny how life works its magic!













My friend, Frida, is a vibrant, strong, and amazing woman -- I could not ask for a more awesome friend!

Frida has been documenting her pregnancy at her blog and giving readers a little glimpse into her world. Read it! :-)

Back to the shower. Frida was hesitant about a baby shower to being with -- too many baby things! But I told her it was happening either way! Frida made it very clear she didn't want the party to be too baby-ie. Thankfully, I couldn't agree more! I hate baby games! Why do people insist on melting candy in a diaper is beyond me. We just wanted an adult party with some bubbly!  Doing so would allow Frida to chat with all her friends without being forced to sit down to open gifts and have toilet paper wrapped around her belly.

After numerous emails, between Frida, Cris, and Ericka we managed to have a baby shower that was beautiful and FUN! Frida thought of the Dia de Los Muertos theme (not morbid!).We all chipped in and I think everyone had a fabulous time!

{the lovely ladies who helped make this happen!}

Thanks to Ericka for letting us host at your house. Thank you Houston weather for cooperating!

We decorated the backyard with fun pompoms, Frida's pics and colorful flowers. Frida had the genius idea of giving away her framed photos as raffle gifts. YES! I was able to get the tables for a good price via a man on craigslist. Double YES!

One of Frida's co-workers made this awesome centerpiece table! Love the pumpkin and the banner!

In lieu of games, I put together a "Decorate a Onesie/Bib" table! I went on ebay and got tons of iron-on appliques (so much cheaper than buying at a craft store). I also got some fabric markers and paint! I also bought various sizes in the onesies so the baby would have crafty clothes all year!

Now the food! Since it was a brunch, we had a mixture of delicious goodies!

I made: turkey sausage/cheese biscuits, fruit plate, blueberry muffins, and a berry lemonade punch. 

Cris made Mexican hot chocolate and pan de leche

Ericka supplied us with a bountiful supply of oj and champagne for mimosas!

Frida got awesome tamales from a lady in her neighborhood. I don't love tamales but these were kind of delicious. She also got platanos!

My sister didn't want to be left out so she made chicken salad croissant sandwiches. Thanks sis!

{awesome spread!}

Needless to say, no one left hungry! As the sun was shining and people were mingling I think we all came to the consensus that it was a successful baby shower for one of our favorite ladies!

I can't wait to meet baby Gael in 2013 and see him grow up! I know Frida will provide him with all the support and love a mom can give -- and it will be beautiful! I love you both!

P.S. I am offering to babysit every now and then... in Austin. :-)

Courtesy: all pics were taken by Ericka Hernandez

Supernatural Top Chef

No, I didn't meet a Top Chef that has supernatural powers... but some might say Paul Qui does indeed have special powers! 

Micah and I didn't go to ACL this year. We actually haven't been to ACL, ever. I know! We live in Austin, we should totes be going. We don't. So not ATX of us. Whatevs. Maybe next year? Maybe.

Even though we didn't go to ACL, we did make it down to the XBox ForzaHorizon party! Free drinks, fast cars (games, of course), and music! 

While we were there, I spotted an Asian that I thought looked familiar (we don't all look alike). 

When he turned around I realized that it was Top Chef Paul Qui! Paul's been to my station before but I didn't get a chance to say 'hi' so I made it a point to say hi to him at the event. 

He was absolutely lovely and totally nice! I wasn't expecting anything less!

Of course we both have water on our shirts. What a hot mess. We were both drinking Asahi - so Asian of us.

So obviously my night started off with a BANG! I was beyond thrilled that I chatted with Paul but then this happened.

Micah was facing the entryway when he said "Wouldn't it be funny if Jared from Supernatural showed up tonight?" I said "OMGeez, I would have a heart attack."

Five minutes later, I turned around and lo and behold JARED PADALECKI was talking to Paul Qui. I die. 

Micah recognized Jared early on and totally fooled me! 

We actually saw Jared Padalecki over the summer at Uncle Billy's Brew B Que on Barton Springs. I didn't approach him then because he was with his family. But I wasn't going to let another chance pass me by. 

When he walked by us, I stopped him and told him we are big fans of Supernatural! He was unbelievably nice and NORMAL. His wife was equally nice. They apparently have a home in Austin (hence the summer in Austin) and visit semi-regularly. YAY to seeing more of Jared in the ATX!

 

{It's almost like a ghost was in this picture}

 

{So I tracked him down and got another one. Rabid fan? Nah.}

When I left that night I had a grin from ear to ear. Seriously, BEST NIGHT EVER!

Don't watch Supernatural? You should. It's on the CW on Wednesday nights!

Top 10 Brewery Tours in America!

I like to use Yelp for businesses and restaurants but I mainly use TripAdvisor for when I need to do travel research. It's a lot of reading and parsing, but the users are usually really helpful and knowledgeable (especially if it's their hometown).

My travel itineraries can be pretty intense. Lots of lists, sometimes Excel sheets get involved, and lots of bookmarking. That's why I'm good at my job. Ha!

Nowadays when we travel, I always look up breweries they have in the area (for Micah, not for me!). We usually try to get to at least one brewery in the area. Hell, in Vietnam we went to almost half a dozen! In Vietnam!

On Wednesday, TripAdvisor®, released its top 10 brewery tours in the U.S., according to their TripAdvisor Popularity IndexTM.

After perusing the list, I've determined that I need to visit EVEN MORE breweries. Out of the list, we've only been to one... but at least it's THE #1 on the list! New Belgium rightly deserves this spot. Their brewery is large, pretty, and their beers are delicious. If you're in Ft. Collins, don't miss it!




{We visited the brewery during GABF week in 2010}



{New Belgium's tasting room!}

{Love, love, love NB's sour beer, La Folie. You get it on their tour! YES!}

I would like to go to Portland, Maine to visit Allagash (or is it the crabs that are calling my name?).

A lot of the breweries are the big boys but some are still considered "craft breweries."

Which ones have you been to?

1. New Belgium Brewing – Fort Collins, Colorado

Located 65 miles north of Denver, this sustainable wind powered brewery was the first of its kind in the United States. Beer lovers can enjoy one of their frothy beverages at the Liquid Center tasting room or take the 90-minute Tour de New Belgium where travelers will have the chance to learn about the brewing process and sip on some suds. Complimentary tours operate Tuesday through Saturday.

2. Allagash Brewery – Portland, Maine
Since 1995, this New England brewery has crafted Belgian inspired ales often using the finest wheat rather than barley, combined with a unique blend of spices. Thirsty travelers can take a free, hour long tour of this coastal brew house while enjoying a refreshing taste of their seasonal specialties or year-round brews. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday.

3. Anheuser Busch Brewery Tour – Saint Louis, Missouri

During this hour-long tour, travelers will see and learn about the iconic Clydesdale horses and explore the architecture and history of the oldest Anheuser-Busch brewery. Hop fanatics interested in learning more about the brewing process can check out the acclaimed Beermaster Tour. Complimentary tours operate seven days a week.

4. Samuel Adams Brewery – Boston, Massachusetts

Located in the Hub, hop-enthusiasts will learn about the brewing process from start to finish during this 60-minute tour. Guests will also taste the special malts used to brew the beer and smell the aroma of the Hallertau hops. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday; a $2 donation is suggested to benefit local charities.

5. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Chico, California

Known for its flagship pale ale, this northern California brewery offers a 90-minute tour offering travelers the inside scoop on how the ales and lagers are crafted using select malted barley, whole hop flowers, brewer’s yeast and pure water. Complimentary tours operate seven days a week.

6. Heinzelmannchen Brewery – Sylva, North Carolina
Travelers visiting the Great Smoky Mountains can enjoy tasty beverages at this microbrewery run by a German-born “brewmeister”. Guests are encouraged to stop in for a tour where they will sample a variety of Deutschland-style beers and non-alcoholic sodas including sweet and tasty root beer and red autumn birch beer. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday.

7. New South Brewing – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
This Myrtle Beach microbrewery offers travelers a tour through the entire brewing process and the chance to taste four frothy samples. Once a draught-only brew house, this beachside brewery now allows guests to purchase a six-pack of their favorite batch. Complimentary tours operate Tuesdays and Thursdays.

8. Boulevard Brewing Company – Kansas City, Missouri
With its 150-barrel brew house, this Kansas City company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. During the 45-minute tour, beer lovers will learn about the brewery’s unique history and crafting processes and will finish the tour in the Tasting Room where they’ll sip some hoppy creations. Free tours operate seven days a week; the “Unfiltered Tour” is $20 and offered on Saturdays.

9. D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewery – Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Known as America’s oldest brewery, this Schuylkill County establishment has been brewing since 1829. Travelers can step back in time as they explore the hand-dug fermentation caves used to store beer before modern refrigeration. Thirsty travelers can also savor some samples in the basement tavern built under the former Pottsville city hall. Complimentary tours operate Monday through Saturday.

10. Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
This Wisconsin brewery blends tradition with innovation to create a fascinating tour where travelers learn about five generations of the Leinenkugel family history while they’re guided through the bottling factory. To cap things off, travelers can quench their thirst with complimentary samples of award-winning beers at the recently opened Leinie Lodge. Free tours operate seven days a week.

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes with Shrimp (with an Asian twist)

Back in May, I showed you guys my new garden box! I thought the plants were doing well, especially the tomato plants since they were growing so quickly! Fast forward a few months and those tomato plants are dunzo. I'm not sure if it's because we planted the tomato plants late (early May) or because of the extreme Texas heat but the plants didn't survive. Sad face. P.S. I ripped the tomato plants out this past weekend and planted tomatillo plants instead -- I hope they make it!

But you know what did survive? OKRA. My saving grace. The okra pods started popping up like crazy by early July. Okra loves the heat and the sun! By early August, my okra plants were doing gangbusters business and I had to give some away to co-workers and neighbors -- gotta share the love, right? 

I literally have to pick the okra every single day or else they would get too big and become fiberous. I swear, they grow like weeds.

The plants are currently taller than me and still producing! I'm definitely planting okra again next summer.

{ginormous okra}

Thankfully, Micah and I love okra. While we both love fried okra, you can't eat that all the time... or maybe you can... but you probably shouldn't. 

My other favorite dish to make with okra is stewed okra and tomatoes. It's easy, fresh, and fairly healthy. I started eating stewed okra and tomatoes in middle school! At Beaumont ISD, the school cafeteria food was actually decent and stewed okra and tomatoes with rice was always on the menu! Bye bye chicken rings! (I kid, I liked those too)

Micah and I like stewed okra and tomatoes so much that I've made it at least 4 times this summer! If Micah isn't bored with it, then I'll keep making it.

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes with Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 pounds okra (usually one container at the grocery store will do)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 pound of shrimp (small to medium sized)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. of creole seasoning (you can use whatever brand you like, I make and use this mix)
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooked rice to serve with the stewed okra and tomatoes

Instructions

1. Prep the veggies (cut the okra, onions, bell pepper, and garlic)

 

{This is how much okra I used}

 

{Cut the tops and ends off and slice into circles. }

 

{I had a tomato sitting around so I added that + the canned tomatoes}

2. Heat the olive oil in dutch oven pan on medium heat. Add the diced onions, garlic and bell pepper. Saute until tender.

 

3. If you have some white wine sitting around, you can deglaze the pan before adding the okra -- if you don't, no worries. Add the okra and turn up the heat to medium high and saute for 5 minutes.You want to cook out some of the slimy goo in the okra.

{Can you see the slimy stuff?}

4. Season with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp. of salt at this point). Add the can of diced tomatoes, bay leaf and the creole seasoning. Bring the heat down to a simmer, put a lid on the pot and let it marry for 15 minutes or even 30 minutes. I feel like the longer you let it simmer, the better the dish is.

 

{Since my garden didn't produce any tomatoes, I use the canned stuff.}

{All the players are happy in the pot.}

5. While the okra mixture is simmering, prep the shrimp. HEB had gulf shrimp on sale, so it only made sense that I use these little babies. Peel and devein the shrimp. If you like more shrimp, use more! 

 

6. After the simmering period, add the shrimp. Also add my secret ingredient: fish sauce! I know it sounds weird, but that bit of fish sauce rounds out the flavor and gives it that umami-ness that you're looking for. Do it! Let the pot simmer for another 5 minutes until the shrimp is pink -- don't cook it any longer. The residual heat in the pot will cook the shrimp even further when you turn off the heat after the 5 minutes.

{happy shrimp} 

7. When you're ready to serve it, put the cooked rice onto a plate and ladle on the stewed okra and tomatoes with shrimp! It's a meal in itself or you can do like me and serve it with a side of mashed potatoes (carbo overload!). Enjoy!

{This picture does not do the dish justice, but I'm posting it anyway.}

{Southern goodness y'all!}

A Big Kids Slip 'N Slide Party

I have a very visible scar on my left leg from my childhood. I was approximately eight or nine years old at the time, living my Cali life in good ol' San Jose. My older cousin, Phung, was visiting from Vancouver, B.C.

Since it was summer, we decided to get one of those cheapo slip and slides and make a go of it in our backyard. We were cautious though; we made sure we picked up all the nails in the backyard (why did we even have nails in the backyard is beyond me!). Can you see where this is headed? Well, the first slide I did, SLICE! I guess we missed a nail, because that sucker cut my knee open. Probably should've gotten stitches, but we're Viet, so we don't do that.

My lovely cousin managed to bandage me up and we ended up scrapping the whole slip and slide idea... UNTIL NOW!

Even before Micah and I bought the house we're currently in, I had already envisioned an awesome slip-n-slide on the steep hill in the backyard! What else would you do with that? Roll down it? Pfft.

After working on our lawn the past few months, we finally had the grass and time to make the slip-n-slide party happen. After scouring the internet, we settled on the 50 foot Wahii slide. It fit the backyard perfectly -- just enough space where our guests wouldn't smack their head against the fence.

{50 feet of pure fun!}

Micah -- the engineer -- rigged the system to withstand our fat adult asses and we were ready for a party.

 

{fixing things}

I kept the menu simple: nacho bar (queso dip, fresh guac, pico de gallo, lettuce, turkey taco meat, and jalapenos), Mexican corn, watermelon aquas frescas, sangria and water with fruit floating in it. Oh, of course, there was homebrew on tap (Witty Calily and Z'Hefe were the new ones).

• Recipes for the turkey taco meat, corn, watermelon aquas frescas, and sangria after the video

{nacho bar}

Shout out to my sister for being an awesome sous chef! Thankfully, Micah was able to persuade me to NOT make quesadillas -- he's right (I don't say that often) -- that would have been a lot of work.  And I didn't want to spend the whole time working, I wanted to play.

Grown Ass Adults + Delicious Drinks + 50ft Slippery Slide = This Video:

Turkey Taco Meat
A few years ago, I stopped buying the packaged taco seasoning and decided to make my own. It's easy and better for you!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey (or whatever meat you like)
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic power
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Heat pan on high and add turkey meat.
2. Add all the seasonings into the pan and make sure you break up any big chunks of meat.
3. Season and adjust to your liking. I usually tend to like it a little bit spicier.

Grilled Mexican Corn
from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 4 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 oz. queso fresco
• 1/3 cup Mexican crema
• 3 tbsp. cilantro minced
• juice of one lime
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 6 ears of corn, husks and silk removed 

1. Heat the grill until very hot.
2. Meanwhile, combine the queso fresco, crema, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl. Toss the cleaned corn with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and a pinch of cayenne. 
3. Grill the corn until lightly charred on all sides, 7 to 12 minutes total. Place the corn into the cheese mixture and toss. Serve and enjoy!

Sangria!: I like to use this one from allrecipes.com, but I do omit the maraschino cherries and sugar. Instead I top the drink off with a splash of lemon/lime soda.

Watermelon aquas frescas: I had a 9lb. watermelon which made about 1.5 gallons.

 

{got these containers from Sam's Club for $20 a piece!}

Catfish: More than just a bottom dweller

While I love me some fried catfish (I am from Southeast TX, y'all), there are other ways of preparing catfish that doesn't involve battering and frying those suckers. 

[Courtesy: Wikipedia]

Catfish is extremely prevalent in Vietnamese cuisine and you know damn well that we use the WHOLE FISH, yep, that includes the HEAD! Squeamish people beware. 

 I think it is safe to say that most Viet people love canh chua ca (sour fish soup). It's a soup that excites your taste buds but is also fairly healthy.

When I make this, I usually buy the whole catfish at the Asian market and ask the fish monger to chop the body into 1in. steaks. The steaks will be turned into ca kho (caramel braised catfish - recipe for another time). I keep the head and the tail for this soup. In a normal meal, you would make the braised fish dish + the soup and have a full catfish meal with rice. YUM!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of bean sprouts
• 2 tomatoes
• package of okra
• 1-2 stalks of bac ha (taro stem and elephant ear)
• 2 shallots (minced) 
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 cup canned pineapple (cut into bite-sized chunks)
• catfish head and tail + 1 catfish steak 
• Sarap tamarind soup base + fish sauce to taste

Instructions:

1. Saute the garlic and shallots in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. When it's fragrant and slightly browned add the catfish head and tail. Cook the fish for two minutes on each side. Then add the catfish steak.

{Is he looking at you?}

2. Add enough water to cover the fish but leave enough room for all the veggies (this pot is close to 6 quarts, so on average about 4-6 quarts of water will do). Add half of the tamarind soup base and one tablespoon of fish sauce. Let the broth simmer while you prep the veggies.

3. Clean the bac ha: You just take off the green tough skin. What's left is just the spongy stalk. Cut on a bias into 1/4 inch pieces.

{L: take the tough layer off the bac ha. R: cut on the bias into 1/4 inch pieces}

4. Trim the ends off the okra and slide the tomatoes into wedges.

 

{Micah asked me one time, "Viet people eat okra?!" The answer is yes.}

5. Skim off any foamy particles off the soup. Add all the hard veggies and pineapple into the pot! Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes before adding the bean sprouts, these go in at the last minute. Taste the soup to see if you need more fish sauce, I usually end up adding another tablespoon or two. If it's not sour enough, add a touch more of the tamarind base. The dominant flavor should be sour, then salty, then sweet. Adjust to your liking.

{everyone into the pot!}

Fill up a bowl with some jasmine rice, ladle on some soup and you've got Vietnamese comfort food.

Now you ask, what do I do with the head and tail? Take those babies out and ladle on the high-end fish sauce. Just pick at it with your chopsticks. That is good eating right there!

{Are you brave enough to eat the eyeball?!}

Calily, Calily, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

Ok, so it's not quite as catchy as "Mary, Mary, quite contrary," but at least my name ends with a Y!

As a gift for my 30th Birthday (crazy!), Micah and his parents decided to gift me with my own veggie garden! It's really the gift that keeps on giving, isn't it?

I've been talking about starting a garden for quite some time now, but never committed due to time, energy, and excuses. Now, I have no excuse but to turn my brown thumb into a green thumb... or else we won't be feasting on anything this summer.

The dirt in our backyard is not the best stuff to garden with, so we decided to get this raised garden bed and fill in with nutrient-rich garden soil (from Garden-Ville in Georgetown). The bed measures: 42 x 84 x 8. It's not huge, but it fits perfectly on the side of our house. If I like it, I can always get another garden box in the future.

{Garden setup: I have a soaker hose to regulate the water. This area of the house was basically a dead zone when it came to grass, so we decided to put the garden here. The area also gets FULL sun, hence why it's been so hard for the St. Augustine grass to grow. Why is it green now? Well, because that is leftover zoysia sod from our newly sodded front yard.}

 Once we got the dirt hauled in, Micah's parents helped me with the most important part: what to grow!

1. Plant in the left foreground is yellow bellpepper. The two other plants next to it are green hatch chiles. I guess I will be making tons of green chile this summer!

 

2. Yellow Squash! I thought this plant wasn't looking that healthy in the store, but wowzers, it's blooming like crazy! Squash blossoms!

 

3. Several rows of okra! I love okra and okra loves SUN so this was a perfect fit. Fried okra, stewed okra and tomatoes, okra in soups, okra in gumbo... so many options! Micah's parents gave me the good tip to leave the okra plants in the container they came in for one week before transplanting them to the garden. This gave the little guys a chance to get a little bit stronger before I shocked them into the garden.

4. Tomatoes! The one on the left is heirloom variety, the one on the right is a zebra tomato plant. The one on the left has some yellow leaves, so I put some extra compost around it and hopefully it gets more nitrogen. I hope it survives! The one on the right is a beast! I can't wait to cut into the juicy tomatoes!

5. Honeydew! This was the last plant to go in -- almost two weeks after the other items were planted. Micah chose this one. The plant hasn't been the strongest, but I think it's stronger and definitely growing. I wonder how the melon will turn out?

Here's hoping to a good growing season! I can't wait to have a bounty of veggies to cook with this summer!