I've moved!

I've moved. I've changed. I'm now lizsloves at wordpress.com

Facebook Pictures by Uncle Troy

I think I have the most beautiful kids ever. It's just the way it is. All moms think that about their kids. We're just built that way. But the thing is...I know that right now, Jayden looks girly and Harper looks boy-ish. I mean... duh. JJ is my mini me and Harper is mini Vinh. Harper could be wearing all pink with a head full of bows and people will still ask me how old "he" is. And when Jayden's hair is beyond long, people will ask me if "she" wants to ride the train. I don't really correct them because I know we'll never meet again, and it really is hard to tell with babies (and with kids too, I guess). But let's take a mental note people, look at the clothes first.

A few weeks ago my brother-in-law posted these pics of the kids. His album was titled Sunday with the Nephew and Niece .....

Can you see where I'm coming from? 

P.S. I got a new van! 

Kevin and Amanda's Pulled Pork

I bought a pork butt a long time ago with the intentions of making Kevin and Amanda's Perfect Pulled Pork. The idea of roasting a pork in the oven for hours and hours seemed completely daunting, but... I am trying to clear out my freezer and pantry before I buy more groceries, so I needed to do it. I put this thing in at 4 AM and it didn't finish until 2 PM... and that's me pulling it out before the recommended temp of 200 degrees (or maybe my thermometer is broken). I ate it on King's Hawaiian Rolls with some Salt Lick BBQ Sauce. My brother and hubby ate it with rice... we are Asian/Islander after all, and no meal seems complete without rice. I don't think that way though because I don't love rice... I banned it as a kid for months, but that's another story.

 

Perfect Pulled Pork
recipe from Kevin and Amanda

1 whole boston butt
 
Dry Rub

1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix well and store in an air tight container.
 
Brine Solution
 
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts cold water
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp dry rub mix

Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub, and bay leaves and stir well to combine.
 
Pork shoulder preparation:
 
Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Then remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree F oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees. When the shoulder has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile because so many people love it, but I decided that I'm just not that into it. I thought I would be because the dough alone tasted delicious... and just so you know, I'm not like one of those indie types that likes to go against the grain. I can jump on bandwagons with the rest of them, but I really and truly love Ina's recipe best for now. I think what turns me off with this cookie is that it didn't brown enough for me. I tried to cook it longer but it just made my cookies hard. No crispy outside and chewy inside. Rock hard. I still have tons of dough in the fridge, so I'll keep testing... it still tastes good after all. But final verdict: Ina 1, NYT 0. 

Update: I pulled some dough out of the freezer to bake up for family, and the cookies tasted much better to me. They baked up really pretty... but Ina still has the edge. :)

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookes

recipe from New York Times

adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Extras

-I scooped 2 oz mounds of dough and it was still a pretty big cookie. 

-I weighed all my ingredients. 

-Used Ghiradelli and Hershey chips since that's what I have on hand. 

Things I don't want to forget

Jayden was kind of a late talker. He really didn't express himself until he was closer to 2. I think a part of it is because he seems shy. Now that he talks a lot more, I don't want to forget the words that were hard for him to say.

Kitchen. For some reason, he can't say it. I will enunciate it for him and I see him watching my mouth. But no matter how many times I correct him, he always says, chicken. That's right, chicken.

Heater. Our house is two stories, and the heating is horrible. During the winter, no matter how high we turn up the heat, the first floor is ice cold. So we have portable heaters planted throughout the house. He asked what it was one day. I told him, heater. Then one day, he says, "Mommy, I want to turn on the Peter." Peter. And again, I enunciate it for him. Sound out the H sound. He watches my mouth very carefully. But Peter still comes out.

Blue. He used to say that word very clearly. I swear before 2. Then one day he started to say Byoo. I don't know why. I don't know what happened, but he says it now.

More = mo-yore
Store = sto-yore
Door = do-yore
Please = pyease

Love that kid.

P.S. I think Harper is going to crawl soon. Go, H, go!

Potty Training, Part 2

So I'm talking about potty training... of course poop will be involved.

JJ has a hard time going number 2. He has since about 11 months. Because of this, he's had a prune filled life... from juice, puree, to prune mixed with other fruit. Then there was benefiber and miralax. All not so fun. And because of some painful experiences from 15 months on, he started holding it in. I didn't realize he was doing that until I read Toddler 411! It made me so sad, especially when friends would kind of joke about it because he would run off and hide. I know it wasn't malicious, but it still hurt me. Like other parents, when my kids are in pain, I am too. But anyways. The whole point of all this is that finally... Finally!!! He went #2 on the potty without my husband and I having to chase him down, pretty much wrestle him, and get him to sit on the potty! Normally when we force him to sit, he'll cry, complain and get really angry. But last night, he finally realized it wasn't so bad! He let his dad help and he went! I feel like I'm about tear up just thinking about it. 

Potty training is not my favorite milestone. I very much hated the whole process, but to watch my son change and mature (is that the right word?) really makes it all worth it. On Facebook, I have friends who hate statuses by parents who give play by plays on their kids... on different milestones they have reached or icky things... like pooping. I get it... and I'm usually one of those parents.... But to know what we've been through for almost two years... I really want to scream it from the rooftops and tell everyone that will listen... JJ is now pooping on the potty!!!!! I love, love, love that kid!

New Cookbook

Lately, I've been getting some crappy baguettes from my neighborhood grocery store. I feel like it's such a waste of money... so I bought a new cookbook! The famous, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day!! I'm an Amazon Prime member, so it'll get here pretty quickly, and I'll be testing recipes soon! I'm so excited!