Shredded Chicken Mole Tostadas

Luke came home from school excited to tell us about an upcoming project in Social Studies.  He would be assigned a partner, and they would be assigned a country.  Once given the country, they would complete research and create an Imovie presentation.  The finale would include a feast of food made from each country around the world.  Did I just hear ethnic food served at school?  My smile widened and questions came pouring out: who would be his partner? did they get to pick their country? what country would he want? Luke rolled his eyes and asked that I be patient, as he knew none of those answers yet. Everyday he came home I would ask: do you have a country yet?  The answer was always no and eventually, he explained that it was in fact his project, not mine (ouch).  

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Our power went out last week during an ice storm.  Fourteen hours without heat or electricity made for an interesting day.  The kids read books and played board games.  We built a fire with very wet wood in our fireplace.  In the winter we take care to have dry wood available for fire building, but that pile was completely used.  Instead there remained an outdoor pile used for summer campfires.  I'm not sure what made me warmer, the fire once built or the sweaty effort of trying to keep the fire going. 

Vietnamese Meatball Soup

While vacationing in Arizona Josilin wrote a blog of our daily adventures.  Her best friend also wrote one while visiting San Francisco at the same time.  At the end of our day it was fun to choose what Jos wanted to upload and share with her friend; and even more fun to see what she had to share with us.  I am amazed at how social media savvy these young girls are and can't help but wonder what their futures will hold.

Saffron Orange Chicken Salad

 

What do you think of the new header on Kale Eats?  It seemed time to remove those juicy heirloom tomatoes from summer.  Although every time I saw the homepage they were there smiling back at me.  Like a promise that fresh, seasonal vegetables will be within my grasp sometime soon and this long winter won't last forever.

Asian Pork Snack Wraps

I've written before about my audition for the Season 2 of the show Recipe to Riches.  In fact, participating in that process was the tipping point of me finally starting a blog.  The recipe I submitted was Hand Pies, in the category of Savoury Snacks.  Last winter, I was devastated when I learned I would not be on the show.  My recipe was in the top five, and out of that five, were the three chosen for TV.  To be so close to the action was tough to accept.  At the time I was desperate to know who they could have possibly selected instead of me and my hand pies.  I found solace in my family and friends who had cheered me along, sampled the multiple variations and developed my marketing plan.  And then, I turned to the web.  Lo and behold, there was this eloquent post from Lyndsey describing the same experience during season 1.  I was so comforted by her openness in sharing the hurt that accompanies being rejected when we put our dreams out for others to judge.  Of course then time passes by, summer comes and before you know it, Recipe to Riches is a distant memory.  The hurt fades and only the happy memories linger.