Sushi -The Cali Roll

I learned to make California Rolls the other day...I am always so excited when I can learn a new trick in the kitchen.  I have been making sushi on the traditional bamboo stick thing-a-ma-bobber, that helps with the perfect roll.  However I am impatient and a little sloppy so when our friends came over with a plastic roll mold I knew I had to revisit the sushi making world with my new weapon, tool, sushi roll mold.  Here it goes:

you will need the above essentials.  I found my roll mold at amazon

Kai Pure Komachi Large Sushi Mold

Cook your rice, make sure it's sticky sushi rice

 

unroll this weird clear stuff off of the Krab (with a K)

finely chop the Krab meat

Add Mayo (to taste)

So this is what I would have never guessed to add to the rice, but when I googled sushi the Japanese literal meaning is "sour tasting;" who knew??? Add this to the rice to taste.

place toasted nori sheet in the mold first

add rice to the first mark on the side, then cucumber, avocado, and the Krab mixture, more rice and pat it down a bit to be sure it's tight.  Be gentle with the Nori sheets.

fold the nori sheet over, put the mold on top, flip the mold

and open it on the other side.

and out comes this tasty morsel!!

Slice them up with your sharpest knife or a

serrated knife to prevent the rolls from being misshapen (see below).

Be sure to keep the roll width fairly wide too. 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few other sushi recipes to try out while experimenting:  sushi recipes @ yummly

Gangs all Here...

~We may not have it all together, but together we have it all~

Let me start by saying my husband and I had it all figured out (when we were young and thought we had full control of our lives), we would have one more child after the twins. Kevin would tell me as I held our daughter, "Enjoy it, she will be the last baby till we have grandkids."  He has said it 2 more times, before we decided to completely surrender to God's will in our lives. We don't know the future or the number of children God will send our way.  Each time another child is born into our marriage, we feel like we couldn't imagine life without this little person in our family. We just can't live without them.  Would never want to live without them.  They are the greatest achievement of our marriage and a testimony to our walk with Christ. Our children, they are on loan.  They do not belong to us.  We know this, but it doesn't make them any less revered and loved.  They are the absolute focus and heart of our family.  We have 5 total, but cheated a little with the twin teens: B and Q.

The twins aren't too much alike unless they finish each others sentences (it happens frequently).   As you can see they are fraternal twins and Q (in the pink shirt) is 5 minutes older and never lets B (green shirt- you already figured that by your superior deductive reasoning) forget!! 

Baby B- and Baby A respectively...14 years later. 

Often referred to as my twin titans!!  They are awesome!!

Next the princess and lone girl, I.  She is the apple of our eye and has just the right amount of Sass, Smarts and Sweetness.  She has so many talents and gets away with (next to) murder at times, as girls often do.  She begs for a sister.  She is the kindest person I know.  And I will be the first to tell you that it has nothing to do with anything I have done.  She is completely her own person and truly a treasure! 

Three months after meeting Pope Benedict in Rome and getting his papal blessing in our wedding attire..D was conceived.  We believe the blessing helped immensely.  He is completely and utterly himself.  He is rough, and sweet (sparingly), and so darn smart; he really keeps us all on our toes.  This kid was born for something HUGE!! Not sure just what yet.  Could be the WWF, Could be the cure to cancer; but in the meantime we will just be sure to treasure his ....unique D-ness.

And the littlest Hunt our Baby Angel, N.  He is pretty much awesome, we love him up.  At this stage (1) he is a momma's boy. But he growls and wrestles with the boys, and really wants to keep up with his older brother.  As you can see my children have their Daddy's beautiful big eyes, and their momma's heart and soul!  The love of our lives....  

Last but NOT least....THE MAN of the house.  It is the smallest pic (he is camera shy) but takes up the most room in my heart...my Hunk-a-Burnin'-Love and Love of My Life..  He is the rock of our family, He is funny and wonderful.  I really did win the husband lottery. He is a KEEPER!!!

 

"As far as anyone knows, we are a normal family!"

I saw the above plaque at my friend T's house the other day and I will steal it for I feel it encompasses the richness of family life.  We all have our inadequacies and our unique-style; so any other description will fall short.

Couple to Couple League. Great Resource for NFP

Why do Catholics Choose NFP

NFP Testimony

More Resources - One More Soul

NFP Online Fertility Charting 

Why do you have so many kids?  You know how that happens, right?  You are pregnant, AGAIN!, Are you crazy?  Just a few of the utterances I have gotten from my own family, friends and total strangers at the store.  We are Catholic and embrace our churches teachings on contraception.   We wouldn't change a thing, the blessings God has trusted us with are worth every inconvenience! 

Authentico Pizza - Italiano Style

Soo I have tried to make pizza so many times, I've used the Kitchen Aid blender- dough hook. I have kneaded it by hand, by wooden spoon etc.  I have tried it all!!  I have always wished I just called delivery...because they all fall miserably short.  Until today when my fabulous friend Margaret came and taught me how the Italians make their pizza....perfectly.

Pizza Sauce:  In a saucepan over med/low heat Simmer, 1 T olive oil (add garlic and basil if you like - it will infuse into warm oil)  then add: Strained Italian Tomato  (We used Pomi from wholefoods-it's in a box) Salt and Pepper to taste Let simmer while dough rises.

Pizza Dough: Start by activating the yeast in 1 C of water (be sure it's the correct temp)  Pour 2 cups of flour onto clean countertop, make a volcano shape {calling it Mt. Vesuvius is optional} in the hole add: 1 t salt, 1 t sugar, 2T olive oil, and start mixing by swirling your finger in the center or the volcano (now you have a tornado of flour, I believe we aren't in Kansas anymore {yes Marg that was for you and R}- again optional but fun when making this with the kids).  Keep your volcano center, and begin adding (a little at a time) the water with the activated yeast.  swirl away...until is it mixed and very likely to be sticky, add very small amounts of flour to your hands until the dough quits sticking to you...swirl....and knead away.  Add lots of air into your dough.  Warning: if it's hard you have either over kneaded or added too much flour both mistakes don't make good pizza dough- believe me I know.

Once the dough is elastic and soft.  Place 1 T olive oil in bowl to rise be sure to coat the sides, so the sticky dough doesn't stick.  Cover the dough on all sides with the oil  and cover with a wet tea towel.   We put it in an oven that had been warmed a bit (about 100 degrees) to rise. It took about 30 min.

Heat oven to 550 (yes you read it right....) 

Prepare your toppings: we used REAL parmesan cheese  (finely shredded from the block), 3 Italian Cheese (shredded), sausage (cook it), and mozzarella pearls...these babies are AMAZING!!!

After the Pizza dough has doubled....flip the bowl over onto your hand and gently toss your dough from hand to hand, until it stretches a bit but make sure you keep the light fluffiness of the dough.  Grease you pan or stone and stretch the dough to fit the pan.  Add Sauce. Singing an Italian song about pizza is optional but oo so fun! That's Amore...perfect song for pizza making Add parmesan, toppings, and top it with the 3 Italian Shredded Cheese.  Pop the pizza into the oven for 4 min.  Be sure to keep the dough Blonde...light dough.  Don't over cook.  Take out and add the soft mozzarella cheese pearls.  Cook 1 min - until melted.  

WARNING: do not burn the top of your mouth!  I know it looks too good to wait! 

 This is necessary to keep the skin on the roof of your mouth. Enjoy!  

BONISSIMO!!! MOTO BONO!

Thank you Marg!  You are my favorite partner in crime in the kitchen!  

Also Naughty Iced Coffee: 1 C cold coffee, 1/4 C ColdStone Cream and Ice. 

 Really good on a hot day when you are weeding thistles from your yard.