Monday, April 26, 2010

Gluten free frog eye salad, part 2

The other day I made a second attempt at gluten free frog eye salad. This one was almost, but not quite, perfect, and I learned a few more things.

The reason it wasn't perfect was because it was too salty. This was due to transcription error, more than anything. Mr. M's mom gave him the recipe for the custard over the phone, but she was guessing on the exact amount of salt- she eyeballs an amount in her palm and throws it in. The guesstimate measure turned out to be a bit too much, so I just need to decrease the amount of salt next time, and it should taste fine.

Some things I learned:

Beat the eggs really well before mixing into the rest of the custard base. Otherwise you end up with bits of cooked egg in your custard.

Use a really fine sieve when rinsing the tapioca pearls, otherwise you'll lose a bunch done the drain.

the two sieves I've used to rinse my tapioca- the left one has mesh that is too far apart

close-up of the larger mesh sieve

the smaller mesh sieve- works great, but the whole sieve is a bit small for rinsing large amounts of anything

I'll post the recipe next time, after I've tried it one more time and made sure it tastes good.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Some days just suck

I survived my root canal yesterday.

The procedure itself was painless, other than having to keep my moth open for 3 hours straight. By the time I got home, though, I was definitely in pain- the anesthesia had worn off and everything was throbbing. I took some painkillers and used an ice pack, and it felt a lot better. The dentist put a temporary crown on and I go back in 3 weeks for the permanent crown. Right now it's too tender to chew on the right side, but I'm hoping that doesn't last too long.

In other news, I have poison ivy blisters all over my lips.

They're very uncomfortable (itchy and weepy) and not very pleasant to look at (swollen and weepy). I'm still not completely clear as to how they got there in the first place. The best I can come up with is that I'm really allergic to one of the pollens that are blowing around. I'd been outside wiping pollen off plastic toys so I could take pictures and post them on craigslist, and it's very possible I wiped my mouth with a pollen-covered hand.

I really can't come up with any other way I could have been exposed to something. And it's not necessarily poison ivy- I've had this same reaction to a tree that was in our back yard when we lived in Ohio, when I went for a walk in the woods behind my aunt and uncle's house in California, and when I tried to plant some flowers in front of our house in California (in bare dirt, so who knows what happened there). The only one of those instances that I think it really was poison ivy or poison oak was the walk in the woods.

In Ohio, I somehow managed to get the weepy blisters every year, usually just before school started, and frequently there was a patch somewhere on my face. So gross and demoralizing- it did not help my self-esteem, that's for sure.

The older I get, the more things I'm allergic to. It's getting to the point where I don't want to go hiking or camping because I know I'll be itching soon after we arrive, and I'll be paranoid about breaking out in soon-to-be-weeping blisters. Even doing yard work makes me itch all over.

Totally sucks. Especially since there's really not much I can do. During the 20 or so years that I've dealt with this, the only things that have been effective is to keep the sores covered so they don't spread (they spread like wildfire) and dry them out as quickly as possible. I've tried Ivy-dry, but had more success with the highest concentration of rubbing alcohol that I could find (90% + is best). I've even tried bleach, but it wasn't more effective than the alcohol, and it was a lot harder on my skin.

Today I'm staying home and trying to speed up the drying out process. This means frequent applications of 91% alcohol and Mr M's zovirax (it works for cold sores, maybe it'll help with poison ivy). Sure wish I knew what I was allergic to so I could avoid it in the future. And yes, I have had allergy tests, and they all came back negative. Hah! Fat lot of good they are.

I also get the fun task of washing all the towels, bedding, and clothes- just in case they're contaminated.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Gluten free frog eye salad, part 1

The other day, Mr M and I were bemoaning the fact that I couldn't make frog eye salad ever again. Frog eye salad is made with acini de pepe, which is a pasta that is formed into tiny balls. While the gluten free manufacturing companies have come a long way in expanding their product lines, I have yet to find gluten free acini de pepe.

Then we randomly started talking about tapioca, how Mr M loves it and how as a kid I hated it because the only time I'd had it was the one time I was in the hospital overnight, which was not a great experience, and I thought all tapioca tasted as gross as it had that time. I've since realized that it's not all that bad, and can actually be quite good.

In the midst of all this, Mr M said "why not try tapioca pearls in the frog eye salad? They're about the same size and texture, maybe it'll work out."

So,  the next time we went shopping we bought a box of tapioca pearls. I followed the directions on the box for cooking (boil water, then whisk the pearls in, let cook for 17 minutes, then wing it from there). Ok, not really, the only directions they had were for making tapioca pudding, so I used the first few steps and then made it up as I went. After the 17 minute point, I think I cooked it a little bit longer till the pearls were mostly clear. Then I dumped them in a wire sieve and ran warm water over them to rinse the gel off.

I let them drain for awhile, then stirred in some cool whip.

The texture looked right, so I added some drained, crushed pineapple and a handful of marshmallows

and mixed it all together.
We had it for dinner, and we discussed the results as we ate it. It was good, but not quite the same as what we remembered frog eye salad tasting like. I had made this without a recipe because I couldn't find it, and it turns out I'd forgotten the custard. Mr M called his mother and got the recipe so I can try it again.

While the overall taste wasn't quite the same because of the lack of custard, the texture was pretty close. Tapioca is a bit chewier than acini de pepe, but when you're eating it with a spoonful of other stuff (marshmallows, fruit, etc), it's not noticeable. We noticed because we were analyzing the results. The next step is to make it again, this time with the custard.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Little Miss Sunshine-isms

A Japanese word we use a lot is 'ikimasho', which means 'let's go'. It's pronounced 'ee kee ma show', but when LMS was younger she couldn't say that, so she'd say 'ee ka go', and naturally we started using it as well.

On our train trip I realized that may not have been a very good idea. Our first stop was in Chicago, and LMS got very confused and started talking about 'ee ka go'. I had to explain that while they sound similar, they're totally different things.

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We woke up one morning to find LMS in our bed, hogging the bed like she always does when she joins us. I asked her why she was hogging the bed and she matter-of-factly answered 'because it wants to be hogged'. (Duh, mommy.)

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One day we were singing "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam", only instead of saying 'sunbeam' she said 'sunbeep'.  Everytime.    :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Monticello

One on-going goal we have is to get out and see places of interest- especially when we're in a new area. We learned this the hard way the first time we were at language school- we kept saying we need to do this, we need to do that, but we never did them. Then the weekend before Mr. M left for training, we tried to cram everything in. Needless to say, it was a crazy weekend and we missed a lot of things we wanted to see and do.

Our first Saturday here we went to Monticello- Thomas Jefferson's estate. The weather was gorgeous- 80 degrees and sunny- perfect for walking around the grounds and admiring everything, including the daffodils and violets. When we started our trip on Monday, it was cold and snowing, but it's spring here already.

The tickets were more expensive than we anticipated, but LMS did get in free. We contemplated waiting and coming back, but decided that things would get really busy very soon and it wouldn't end up happening, so we went ahead and spent the money.

We watched a short video about Jefferson before heading up the hill from the visitor's center to the house.
waiting in line for our turn to take the tour

the front entrance
the back of the building, with the famous rotunda, from the left side
notice the white criss cross banisters on both sides of the house

same as above, but from the right side

what's below the white criss cross banisters: stables, kitchens, store rooms and so on
they run in a big horseshoe shape at the back of the house

walking down to the extensive gardens

enjoying the view of the gardens, orchards, and vineyard

the walk back to the visitor's center takes you past the family cemetary, where Thomas Jefferson is buried

We had an enjoyable time wandering around Monticello. There's a guided tour through the house, but after that you're free to wander the grounds and explore the cellars. It was a gorgeous day for walking around and if you ever come to visit us, it is worth the trip to see it.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Easter photos

Since General Conference was on Easter, LMS didn't get to wear her Easter dress till this Sunday. After church, she and I did an improptu photo shoot on our front porch. She came up with most of the poses herself. I'm trying to improve my photos, and I like how these turned out, but the lighting still isn't quite right. I didn't photoshop these- these are exactly how they came out. Which one's your favorite?

1. I like this with the bench in the background. The expression isn't quite right, though.
2. I like this one better.
3. I really like her expression on this one.
4. This is totally her- I had nothing to do with this pose! I have no idea where she got it from.
5. I did ask for a Cinderella pose- this is the result.
6. Up close, showing her crooked teeth (the result of a fall when she was 18 months old).
7. Another up close shot, her pose again.
8. I asked her to look to the side, and got this one.
9. And no photo shoot is complete without a shot of Lambie.
Is the lighting and quality good enough to enlarge one of these to frame and hang on the wall and look good?

Monday, April 12, 2010

Two current major goals

The first is to get my mileage back up. I'm struggling a bit with this one. There's great walking trails here, but there are no mile markers, so it's hard to know how far I've gone. I like to quantify things, so I'm not liking that so much. I finally found a battery for my pedometer, but I still need to recalibrate it before I can use it. I'm also struggling with low energy levels. I've been moving boxes and bins around, unpacking, sorting, finding places for things, and it's very tiring. Added to that is the nasty cold I had the last couple weeks which is finally mostly gone and the Easter candy I ate (I've really got to stop eating candy all together, sugar is just causing too many problems) and random food allergy problems (still not sure what exactly is triggering it), and I just haven't been feeling that great lately.

The second goal is to get everything unpacked and put away as soon as possible. I'm making good progress on this one, but I'm at the point where I have to start getting rid of a lot of stuff, so I've also started listing things on craigslist. Hopefully everything will sell quickly, but in the meantime the items are still here, taking up space. I love decluttering! Well, I love the results. The process can be stressful.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Weekly mileage report, week 9

Monday-
Tuesday-
Wednesday- walked about a mile or so with Mr M and LMS
Thursday- walked about 2 miles with LMS in the jogger. discovered just how close we are to the pool, a grocery store, and the preschool I want to send LMS to in the fall.
Friday- walked about 3 miles
Saturday-

Total miles week 9:  6+
Total miles week 8: 4+
Total miles week 7: 6
Total miles week 6: 3+
Total miles week 5: 10
Total miles week 4: 12
Total miles week 3: 9
Total miles week 2: 6
Total miles week 1: 3
sun behind the trees, caught while on our walk

Thursday, April 8, 2010

LMS's first soccer practice

The family we stayed with when we first arrived told us about a small soccer league that had just started- the first practice was the day we arrived. So, a week after we arrived, we took LMS to her first soccer practice. It's very low key, and each age group only has one team, so even on game days on Saturdays they're only scrimmaging. For LMS's age group this is perfect since they're still learning the basics. It's also a lot cheaper than the other local soccer leagues.

LMS has watched my youngest brother (who's in high school) play soccer and we've talked about her playing soccer after we moved, and she was excited about playing. Right up until it was time to get on the field and warm up.Then she really wasn't sure about the whole thing and wanted one of us to hold her hand through it. I think all the changes she's experienced lately have made her a bit clingy. They didn't practice Saturday or yesterday and will have this Saturday off as well because of spring break (apparently everyone here leaves during spring break), but last Wednesday she did better than the first two practices. It's good to get her out of her comfort zone and it's so cute to watch her try to do what the coach asks them to do.

run down the field and back

kick the ball down the field
listen to instructions

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Great Train Adventure

Here's the long-over-due recap of our train trip:

Monday
We got to the train station two hours early since we weren't sure what traffic would be like, but it was definitely better than being late. The station is an old building with details you just don't see anymore. I love the intricacy of the moulding.




It is starting to look a bit shabby, though.

I think the 'Telegraph' sign is great! The window isn't there anymore, but the sign is.

For some reason, I like this sign too. Maybe it's because I never spent any time around trains or subways (I've ridden subways while traveling abroad, but that's it), but it just has a magical quality to it.

The waiting area even had high-backed benches with lights at the top like you see in movies. LMS had fun playing on them with her lambie.

And reading books to lambie.

We got the smallest room available on the train (aka the cheapest room available), and they really are small- I thought there'd at least be enough space for a couple suitcases, but one suitcase was crowding things. The two seats face each other and there's good knee space between them, and they're nice and wide. The seats fold down into the bottom bunk, the upper bunk folds down from above.

From the door, looking to the left.
From the door, looking straight ahead.
From the door, looking to the right (that's LMS hiding under her pink blanket).
From the door, looking up at the bunk that folds down at night.
My backpack sitting in the only space big enough for a suitcase.
There were hooks for hanging things, as well as a narrow closet (right side of the picture), but I didn't put anything in the closets as they really were too narrow for anything more than a coat or a suit.

When you upgrade your tickets to include a room, you also get three meals a day in the dining car, without worry about the cost of the item. It was great- you just order whatever you want and only worry about the tip. The dining car has booths that line both sides of the aisle and each seats four people. If you have less than that in your group, the servers will seat you with others, which was neat- we got to talk to people from different areas.

Monday night we were seated second of four or five tables of people to arrive, but somehow we got our food last, and our table had the only kids in the room. Since it was 8:30 by the time we were seated, the kids were antsy and tired. We got some dirty looks and overheard some not-so-nice comments, but really, what do you expect at that time of night? I will state here that LMS was not the loudest- the other little girl was definitely the noisy one.

The food tasted good and the portions were generous. I'd checked ahead of time so I figured there'd be at least one gluten free option at breakfast and dinner, lunch might be a bit iffy. I had herb roasted chicken that just fell off the bone, a baked potato, and vegetable medley. LMS had a grilled cheese sandwich, mashed potatoes, and vegetable medley. I also had lemon sorbet for dessert. LMS took one taste and didn't like how tart it was, but I thought it was good.

The bathroom was very similar in design to airplane bathrooms, i.e. tiny and cramped. But they served their purpose.

Back in our room, the chairs had been folded down and the bunk lowered. The beds were narrow and the top was narrower than the bottom, with straps that hook to the ceiling to hold the person in. LMS was supposed to sleep there, but she didn't like the swaying, so she slept with me. I didn't get much sleep that night- I never do with her in my bed, and this bed was just too cramped with both of us in it.

The roomettes give a nice illusion of privacy- walls, doors, windows with curtains, but sound travels! Not that I heard anything I didn't want to, but anytime anybody moved something against the wall next door or talked, you could hear it.

Tuesday
The car was crowded Monday night, but by the time breakfast was over, most in the surrounding rooms had gotten off, so we had peace and quiet, and were able to put the suitcase in the roomette across the aisle.

For breakfast I had a veggie and cheese omelet with potatoes- yummy. LMS had french toast and sausage.

The shower was interesting- you push the button and the water stays on for 30 seconds at a time. It was supposed to be 100 degrees, but it wasn't- it was cold, and never warmed up, so I rinsed off quickly and got out and didn't even think of rinsing off LMS.

Our room was on the top floor, and the sway was rather noticeable depending on the track. This was really only a problem when trying to go from our car to the dining car next door- it felt a bit like trying to get through a gauntlet in one piece.

For lunch I had the vegetarian salad (a greek salad), which was good, but not completely filling. LMS had another grilled cheese sandwich with some potato chips. While we were eating we crossed the Mississippi river. Our server pointed out areas where the flood waters from a year or two ago still haven't completely disappeared, leaving stagnant pools of water and half-submerged trees.

This particular trip would be much prettier in a few more weeks, once everything greens up. It was a bit drab and dreary- winter wasn't quite ready to let go yet.

Iowa and Illinois remind me of Ohio- vast fields with trees or shrubs along the fencelines, old farmhouses scattered here and there.
The small towns we passed through had mostly older homes with faded, peeling paint. A few of the houses had been fixed up and had newer paint. The smaller, shabbier homes were a sharp contrast to the acres of big, blocky polished houses that we encountered as soon as we were within commuting distance of Chicago.

When we arrived at the station in Chicago, we were able to wait in the first class lounge, because we had sleeping accomodations. This was nice! Nice decor, several tvs, complimentary snacks and drinks, and you could check your baggage with an attendant. It also had a peaceful atmosphere- when we left the lounge it was loud and chaotic. Another perk was being led directly to our train when it was time to leave. First class treatment, and definitely the way to go.

On the second leg of the trip, our room, which was the same as the one on the first train, was on the lower floor, which seemed to have less sway, or at least it was less noticeable.

We'd made reservations for dinner while we were still in the lounge, and I picked the earliest time available, so we were eating by the time we left the station. I had a pork loin with apricot sauce, a baked potato and mixed veggies. I also ate the top half of a piece of chocolate chip cheesecake (couldn't eat the bottom because of the cookie crust), which wasn't super smart on my part, but it sure tasted good! LMS had grilled cheese again (no imagination!), but fell asleep half way through. A late night the night before and no nap that day was just too much for her. She didn't have a meltdown though, just laid her head on my lap and fell asleep while I kept eating. She slept through me carrying her downstairs to our room, undressing her and putting jammies on, and putting her on the top bunk.

Wednesday
We slept in a bit. I let LMS sleep as long as she wanted, and since breakfast was 'brunch' due to the scheduled arrival time, the hours were longer, so I wasn't worried about missing breakfast. The bathrooms on this train were a bit more up-to-date, not quite as cramped, more like an rv bathroom than an airplane bathroom. The shower was a lot nicer and even had warm water, so LMS joined me in rinsing off.

For breakfast I had another omelet and potatoes. LMS had french toast again. The menus actually had a good variety, I was just limited by my dietary restrictions, and LMS is an unadventurous 3 year old.

The trip between Chicago and DC was interesting- more fields and lots more trees. As we swept through the countryside, I caught occasional glimpses of crumbling stone walls and chimneys and the occasional forgotten cemetary, its headstones tilted and broken. It was easy to imagine early settlers trying to conquer the land and eke out a living, and it's clear it wasn't an easy life- the underbrush and trees take over so quickly.

The DC station was loud and busy, like Chicago. We waited in the first class lounge again while we waited for our final train to arrive. So nice to have a quiet place to wait.

We took a commuter train for the last leg, which means no sleeping compartments- just seats. I'm sooo glad we went with the rooms on the first two legs of the journey. LMS did not want to stay in her seat- she kept trying to run up and down the aisle. I can't imagine spending two whole days chasing after her, not to mention trying to get her to sleep in a reclined chair- it wouldn't have happened until late, and she'd be tired and cranky the whole trip.

Conclusion
It was a fun adventure and LMS and I both enjoyed it. During the day we watched the countryside, read, and colored. I never did have to pull out the dvd player and movies I'd brought. I'd do it again, as long as I don't have to worry about having a vehicle on the other end.

If we were to do this again with Mr M, we'd definitely have to get one of the bigger rooms. The small room we had worked out well for LMS and I, but would be way too crowded for a third person.

One word of warning: pack light. Not all trains have checked baggage, and the smallest rooms really only have room for one small suitcase. We didn't have a lot of choice since we had to pack enough clothes and such to last us till we could move in to our house (a week and a half after arrival), but it all worked out.

One observation I had was that a lot of the riders are older. Admittedly, I only saw those in the dining car (we never went to the coach cars), but the majority of those who ate in the dining car were retired age couples or small groups, which I found interesting.

And so that journey ended and we started a new adventure in a new house in a new town...

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Weekly mileage report, week 8

Monday- have been feeling very crummy still, unpacked two more cubes though
Tuesday- still feeling crummy- really phlegmy
Wednesday- still feeling yucky
Thursday- unpacked the jogger Monday, went to use it today, only to find the tires flat. took LMS on a walk still, but went at her pace. did about a mile, I think. also unpacked the last cube.
Friday- Mr M inflated the tires last night, so we walked about 3 miles
Saturday- didn't walk other than during a long grocery shopping trip (exhausting!)

Total miles week 8: 4+
Total miles week 7: 6
Total miles week 6: 3+
Total miles week 5: 10
Total miles week 4: 12
Total miles week 3: 9
Total miles week 2: 6
Total miles week 1: 3

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Gluten free eating thwarted again

Today we went to Wendy's for lunch while we were out running errands, and I had a rude surprise. They've changed their salad menu, taking out the old ones and introducing four new salads. I understand the need to keep the menu fresh, exciting, blah, blah, blah, but as near as I can tell, none of these are reliably gluten free.

The changes must be really new, since I can't find them on Wendy's website. I thought I'd be able to use the site to confirm everything, but since I can't, here goes my faulty memory:
1. Grilled chicken with apple, bacon, and bleu cheese
2. Grilled chicken with something and bleu cheese
3. Breaded chicken with something
4. Taco type salad with tortilla strips

From what I've read, some bleu cheese is gluten free, some isn't, I'd rather err on the side of caution and not eat it at all (plus, I don't like the flavor of bleu cheese anyway). Since the first two come with the bleu cheese already on the salad, those are a no-go. The breaded chicken in the third one is an automatic red flag. The tortilla strips on the fourth one are the bad guys. Admittedly, the tortilla strips might be packaged separately on this one, I didn't ask- I don't like taco salads, so I didn't even bother with it.

I will keep checking the website to see what the nutrition info says, but I'm not holding out any hope. I'm disappointed because I liked the mandarin chicken salad and it was a good standby if I needed to eat and couldn't find a Chipotle's nearby. Until I find out otherwise, if I eat at Wendy's again I'll be sticking to the baked potato and the mandarin oranges.

Friday, April 2, 2010

I haven't completely dropped off the face of the earth...

Ok, so we've moved into our house and our internet finally got connected today, so I can start blogging again.

We ended up filling 5 Relocubes when we loaded everything up for the move. Two were delivered last Friday afternoon and we unloaded them Saturday morning (our first day in the house). The next two were delivered Monday afternoon and we unloaded them that evening. The last one was delivered Wednesday afternoon but we didn't unload it till last night since LMS has soccer practice (!) on Wednesdays.

She has practices on Wednesdays and "games" on Saturdays. Her group is made up of 3 and 4 year olds, so they don't actually play games, they're still learning the basics. It's been an adjustment for her- following instructions in a group setting- but she's getting the hang of it.
that's her in the purple shirt- too cute!

All our stuff is in the house now, and I've started the daunting task of unpacking everything. Ok, that's not as daunting as the sorting- as I unpack I have to decide if we're keeping, chucking, or selling/donating it. We have way too much stuff, and now is the perfect time to scale back and simplify. I've made good progress, but it'll take at least a week to get through everything.

Once the unpacking and sorting is finished (and the listing on craigslist), we'll start building bookshelves and such to organize the things we are keeping.

I've got the drafts written for a couple posts, including a description of our train trip (which was a lot of fun!), I just need to finish them up and then I'll post them.