Lumpia... not Oompa Loompa!!

Ahhh... Lumpia... just the word itself, bring a big smile to my face.  When I hear the word, I can smell them.. I can taste them... and so many childhood memories come running back to me.  Yes, I have a fondness to Lumpia, thanks to the Oy family who were members of my church growing up, and friends of my parents.  Every year, our church would have a bazaar.. Church members would sell crafts, unwanted items, as well as baked goods.  But the Oy family... oh the Oy family.. they sold a little piece of heaven!  LUMPIA!  We liked it so much, that they shared their family recipe with my parents.

Over the years, that recipe has been lost, however my Mother could remember what she put in them when she'd make it.  I have now shared this delightful treat with my family, and I am positive that some day, they will share it with their own families.  I have shared this before on my blog, and going to share it again!

Keep in mind that you can add your own touch to your Lumpia.. you can use chicken, pork, whatever you want!  Be creative!

Unfortunately, I don't have exact measurements for my recipe, but I will do my best!

What you'll need:  

• Lumpia Wrappers - I find mine at a local Asian grocery store
• Ground beef - for this Lumpia making session, I used 2 pounds of ground beef.  I make one batch plain (just the beef and seasoning) for my picky eater..
• Soy Sauce
• Carrots - diced small (about a handful and a half)
• Celery - diced small (about a handful and a half)
• Chinese Cabbage (about a handful), chopped
• 1 can of water chestnuts - diced
• Bean Sprouts if desired - I left them out because my family complains about them! lol

What you do:

1. Brown your meat.  Make sure you get the meat broken up small..
   
   
2. Drain meat, then add Soy Sauce (to taste).  I probably used about 1/4 cup.  Cook on Medium low for about 3 minutes.
3. Add Carrots to mix first, as they take the longest to cook.  After another 3 minutes, add Celery and Water Chestnuts.
   
4. Continue to cook about another 3 minutes, then add your cabbage.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until everything is hot.  
   
5. Remove from heat and let rest.

Now you are ready to wrap!

Wrapping your Lumpia is very easy!  I should have mentioned that you can find Lumpia wrappers in two different packaging options.  The easiest (and more expensive) is the individual wrappers.. The wrappers are separated by a sheet of paper, which makes it much easier to remove the wrapper for use.  I buy the ones that I have to separate myself , to keep costs down.

1. Lay your wrapper on a flat surface, and add a spoonful of your filling.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Next roll up the bottom, covering the filling.
   
3. Fold over your two sides.
   
4. Roll up again, tucking in the sides once more, by folding them in (like wrapping a present).
5. Brush the very tip of the remaining wrapper with water, and finish rolling.  Press gently against the wet part to make sure it sticks.
   
   
   
   Your finished Lumpia will look like this:
   
   
   
   To cook them, simply fill a pan with about a 1/2 inch of cooking oil (I prefer Peanut, as it just cooks better), and fry Lumpia until brown on both sides (turning often).  Drain on paper towels. 
   
   
   Enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   

Bagel Me!

So this self titled "non baker" is at it again!  Only this time, it's not a cake, pie, or tart in the oven, it's BAGELS!  I know, I've put on my brave hat today and am taking the plunge.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll turn out to be a baker afterall... though I highly doubt it.  LOL

I found this recipe on another blog, Little Pink Monster .  She in turn, got her recipe for the bagels from Everyday Emma.  So here we go!

Everything Bagels

(this photo by: Everyday Emma)

What you need:  

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

2 tsp (one package) active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp coarse grain sea salt

1 egg

In a small bowl, combine warm water and sugar.  Let the sugar dissolve completely.   Next, pour in the yeast and allow to sit for 6-8 minutes to activate.  In a larger bowl, whisk the flour and 1/1/2 tsp salt.  Once the yeast mixture is active, pour it into the flour mixture and stir until it forms a crumbly dough.  (see photo below)

Now turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for 6-7 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic-like.  I actually did this using my mixer and my dough hook attatchment.  Dough will look like photo below.

Now place your dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl and place in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.

Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide it into 8 equal pieces.

Shape each piece of dough into a ball.  Press your finger into the center to form the hole.  Once all of the bagels are shaped, allow them to rest for 10 minutes. 

Next, place them into boiling water (they should float).  Let them cook for 45-60 seconds, per side, and remove to your baking sheet.

Next, whisk 1 egg and 1 tsp water in a small bowl and brush each bagel with the egg mixture.  Now sprinkle on the seeds!  I made some with just sesame seeds, some plain, and some with everything!

After you add your seeds, bake in a 425 oven for 20 minutes.  

** Mine are baking right now, and I cannot even begin to tell you how AMAZING my house smells right now!  

They're done!   

They look AMAZING!

I think I have a new obsession!  Blueberry is next....

Oreo we go...

My oldest came home from practice the other day, telling me about this delicious cupcake she had (it was her coaches birthday).  It was an Oreo cookie cupcake.  Now I've seen these all over Pinterest, for they seem to be the popular thing these days.  So I decided to give them a try.. making them my own way..

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the baker.  So I turn to my cupcake mix in a box :D

Go ahead and make your batter according to the package directions, or if you are a Cake Boss, make your own!

Line your cupcake pan with your cupcake wrappers, and fill each one with a half of a cookie.

   

Don't throw away (or eat) the other halves of the cookies!  Crush them up to use in the batter!

Mix them in.. and mix well!

Fill cupcake liners with batter

Bake according to package directions and decorate!

I used Whipped Cream Cheese Icing... it's been requested that I try chocolate icing next time :)

Save that Tin Foil!

At first, I thought I was alone.  I thought that I was the only one who held on to old cookie sheets after they had become disgustingly coated with grime.  Not only do I hold on to them, but I still use them!  Calm down, it's okay.. I line them.  I line them with tinfoil or parchment paper.  Wouldn't dream of using them without doing so.  Yes, they are they are that gross!  Well, not all of them.  But I have a couple of favorite cookie sheets that are just grody. But they are my favorites.  Things just bake that much better on them.

I know what you're thinking... CLEAN THEM!  Well I try.  I've used everything from scrub brushes, to brillo pads, to magic erasers.  I've let them soak in dishsoap.. NOTHING works!  Looking around on Pinterest, as I do almost daily, I came across a stellar idea! The poster claims that this will work on cleaning your pans (nonstick) and cookie sheets.  So I thought I'd give it a try...


Here's my favorite cookie sheet (pre foil)... As you can see, it's a hot mess.  Baked on grime, on top of baked on grime.  I wash it, but it's still sticky. I scrub it, but it's still sticky.  Blech!  Look closely at the bottom of the pan, around the edges.  That's coated with grime.

Still rather skeptical that this little guy will be able to clean what I have tried to clean with so many other products..

I begin to scrub.. note that I did add a little bit of dishsoap on the pan.  In this shot, you can get a better view of the grime...

So here's the cookie sheet when I was finished.  Don't get me wrong, there is still A LOT of staining on this thing, and I will still have to use a liner when I use it.  It's just way too far gone.  HOWEVER, the difference is AMAZING.  That little ball of foil got off the grime!  Just imagine what it would do to a newer cookie sheet.  

Now I need to find a place to store all my leftover foil! :)

Cherry Blossoms!

Growing up just outside of Washington, D.C., I often took for granted all of the history that was in my backyard.  Most of our school field trips (that I can remember) were trips taken into the city to some museum.  Don't get me wrong, for I always enjoyed them, and was fascinated year after year at the giant elephant that greeted you as you entered the Natural History Museum.  Stood in awe at the humongous whale that hung above me, and marveled at the reconstructed dinosaurs.  But over the years, I seemed just not to appreciate the wonderful things that were right in my own backyard.

Flash forward to present day, and I'm now a Mom.  And yes, I am that Mom.  You know the one... the Mom that wants to expose my brood to as much history as I possibly can.. even though it bores them to tears.  You can imagine my delight when my oldest daughter ASKED, yes, you read that right... she asked to go to see the Cherry Blossoms!  Success!  Granted this trip is very different than walking through a massive museum, and having to read about history, but I was delighted all the same.

Driving into Washington, D.C. doesn't take us very long, however trying to find a parking spot is another story.  So we opted to take public transportation.. The Metro, to be exact.  The Metro brings back a lot of memories for me, as my high school friends and I used it ALL the time on our many trips into D.C., back in the day (did I just say that? lol).  As you can see, they enjoyed riding the Metro... and yes, they were busy on their phones, taking pictures of strange things they saw along the way...

I couldn't believe the crowds!!  We had a beautiful day, and the Cherry Blossoms were just past their peak (wish we could have gone a few days earlier), but they were still beautiful.  I think the rest of the DC area had the same idea.  Here are a few pictures from our day...

I vow that next year, I will stay on top of the Cherry Blossom and their peak days so that we may finally get to see them at their best!!!

Spinach Dip!!

Growing up, I was that child that didn't venture out much when it came to food.  I liked what I liked, and that was it.  Yes, I was what you call a picky eater.  Every parents nightmare.  However, I did seem to take after my Mom, who may have liked more veggies than I, but was just as picky, if not more.  My father's pallet seemed to be much broader, though he was picky when it came to preparation and presentation.

Over the years, my taste buds have matured, and I now find myself eating foods that they younger me would shutter at the though of putting in my mouth.  One of those things is spinach.  Sure, growing up I saw that it made Popeye turn into a muscle clad hottie that made Olive Oil weak in the knees, but that didn't change my mind. Not one bit!  I now like spinach.  Not too big on it raw in salads, but do like it when it's cooked, or prepared in a dish.  I've grown!

I've become a Spinach Dip professional over the last several years.  Stumbling on a recipe and altering it to better suit my likes to make it my own, it's grown into an obsession.  This is the dish I'm required to bring when a dish needs to be brought.  My family is very upset with me if I don't bring it to a family gathering, as it's become a tradition in it's own right.

So many times I hear, "Who made the spinach dip!?" ,  "This is amazing, what's in it?" ,  "This is really good, what's your recipe?"  The selfish side of me wants to keep it to myself.. afterall, I'm a spinach dip making legend!  Shouldn't I just let people think that I'm that good of a cook?  Shouldn't I let them think I slaved for hours over this dish?  Okay, so the unselfish side of me wins, and I'm going to share it..

I adapted my recipe from the Knorr Spinach Dip recipe.

Holly's Spinach Dip
*Please note that this makes ONE batch.  A typical party will require AT LEAST it to be doubled.  Yes, it's that good!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (10 oz) frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
• 16oz Sour Cream
• 1 package of Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix (you can use any dry Vegetable Soup Mix, but it doesn't taste the same!)
• 1 can water chestnuts (or 1/2 can, depending on your taste)

Directions:

• Thaw spinach, rinse and drain
• Chop water chestnuts
• Mix all ingredients together
• Let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.  Overnight is best!

There you go!  Probably the best spinach dip you'll have, and it's OH SO EASY!!!

On with the planning!

Above is a photo I found online of Siesta Key, Florida.  Stunning, isn't it?  Now you can see why I was completely open to throwing out everything else and changing plans.  Hannah really wanted to go somewhere tropical so this is pretty much the closest thing I can do. Here's another shot....

I'm hoping that the photos are not 'fixed' to make the beach look better than it is, but I think I'm pretty safe since all of the photos online are pretty consistent.  These pictures ignite many giggles of excitement within me.  I can't wait!

So we've now opened the window to Siesta Key.. we're interested.  We want to go.  Where do we stay?  Once again, I turn to the internet and Google is my savior.  What in the world did people do before the internet?  How did my Dad ever find motels to stay in great locations?  I quickly discover that Siesta Key doesn't have many motels.    Keep in mind that the motel room we had on the books for Treasure Island had a full kitchen included in the room!  A BIG plus for us.. a BIG money saver for us!  I realize that we will have to rent a condo.  This isn't a bad idea, as it gives us more room.  Room that a family of 5 surely needs if we are going to be together for 7 days.  Actually, it's a BRILLIANT idea.  A condo it is!

Hannah had one request, and that was we stay somewhere that she can see the beach from the room.  Beach front is preferred.  After all, if we are going to drive 998 miles, we deserve to stay right on the beach!  Finding a condo to rent in Siesta Key was fairly easy.  They are pretty abundant.  Finding one that's available for our travel dates was more of the challenge.  Adding in the factor of wanting to stay right on the beach, just one more hurdle.  

After numerous searches, inquiries and discussions with the family, we decided on The Jamaica Royale Condominiums.  This place seems like a little slice of paradise, and we were able to snag a condo that is beach front!  Whew!  Check that off the list!  

  

Planning: Important Decisions!

So now that we've decided to somehow manage a family vacation to Florida, there are many details that need to be figured out.  Details such as WHEN  to go, WHERE to go, and HOW we will get there.  Well, the how is pretty easy.. we have to drive.  Airfare for 5 is not cheap.. then having to rent a car would be a PITA.  So one decision made.  As for WHEN.. That came pretty easily too, as the soon to be 16 year old would like to have her freshly painted toenails in the white sand on her birthday.  Dates are set (being flexible with a day or two). Now for the WHERE...

Florida's Gulf Coast also holds a special place in my heart, and I have more fond memories with time spent with my Dad on the Gulf.  My Dad loved Florida.  In fact, he took me there several times.  At one point he wanted to retire in the Ft. Myers area, but ultimately sacrificed that desire to stay around his grandchildren (my brothers children).  One of the things we want to do while we are down there is to visit with some family friends who live in Largo, just outside of Clearwater.  So my hunt for a beach began in that area.

We first looked at Treasure Island, FL, and my fingers typing away on the laptop brought me to the Thunderbird Resort.  A place my Dad had taken me in High School.  Loved this place.  I quickly was drawn in, and placed a reservation for a Beachfront room.  So excited!  But then I began second guessing my decision.  Reading more about the beaches of Florida's Gulf Coast, I stumbled upon information of a place called Heaven... I mean Siesta Key.  Powder White Beaches... Clear Azure water.. Apparently ranked the #1 beach in the USA... Okay, I'm interested.  I can invite the thought of possibly going elsewhere. Now where to stay...

Planning, planning!

For the last several years, we have taken our family vacation in July, and have headed to the Maryland/Delaware shore.  We've stayed in Fenwick Island and Ocean City.  I grew up spending parts of my summer in Ocean City, and have fond memories of those hot summer days.  Waking up and looking out the window to the crashing waves on the sand, and the gulls searching for food.  I have been happy to be able to share this special place with my children, though I have wanted to do more.

This June, my oldest offspring will be turning 16.  What!  I remember when she was just a tot, my father in law telling me not to blink during these years, or I'd miss it, as it will go by so very quickly.  He was spot on. It seems just like yesterday that she was trying to figure out what princess dress to wear to the tea party, or which stuffed animal was her favorite (though one had to be discreet so that the other animals wouldn't have hurt feelings).  Now she's begging to drive my car, as she recently obtained her instructional drivers permit, and we are talking about college plans.  Yep, she will be turning 16 in just a couple of months.  Yes, the time went by fast... too fast for my liking.

So many 16th birthday parties are beginning to hit the calendar.. penciling them in around the millions of other obligations we have in permanent marker.  The thought of planning a big birthday party exhausts me.  Add in the fact that her birthday comes after the last day of school, and most people will be hitting the road for their own summer vacation adventures.  Will there be enough people to attend?  More stress...   Then there's the part of figuring out where to have it, what theme to use, and how to make the party "cool".  Not sure I can take it.  So I offered up a suggestion.  Something that would benefit us all!

Presenting this suggestion to the almost 16 year old made me nervous.  There was a big possibility that she'd turn me down flat.  She'd tell me that it was the stupidest idea she's ever heard, and how in the world could I come up with such a ridiculous idea.  Of course there was always the chance that she'd love it, and I'd be the best Mom in the world... for a split second.  Crossing my fingers, I announced my idea.  Instead of having a big party, how about we take a really good family vacation.. and celebrate on the powder white sands of the Florida Gulf Coast!  Hook... line... sinker!

Much to my ultimate delight, big 16 LOVED the idea!  The smile on her face said it all.  Her father even suggested that we could possibly do a small pool party before we leave, so that she would be able to celebrate with some of her friends.  So now begins the planning of our big family trip to Florida..