A Beautiful Day for a Southern Wedding

Last weekend, my family and I piled into the truck and took off to Bryan, Texas to attend a wedding. This roughly 2-hour road trip was an excellent way to trap our busy family in one place and have some fun conversations. As we were driving, I was reminiscing about the lovely bride and how her family had come into our lives. It's been 9 years since we left California and all of our family and friends to move to Austin, Texas. When we first moved here we literally knew not a soul. I had been praying that God would answer our needs and bring friends to my kids, especially our son who was leaving so many of his good buddies behind in California. So our first blessing was the family that moved in next door. I call this an absolute blessing because they had a son the same age as mine and they would be going to the same school together. Their lovely daughter (Janell, the bride) was the perfect babysitter for my daughter. Even though this family was only with us a few years - the Mom (Lisa) was a student at UT and was finishing law school - it was some of the best and most blessed filled years we've had. I have a handful of neighbors that I consider the best in the world - the ones you go to for more than just a cup of sugar.

We got to watch the bride grow from a sweet teen into a college student during our time as neighbors, but that was long enough to know this young lady was destined to be a woman after God's own heart. Seeing her at the wedding brought that full circle.

So many weddings, no matter how hot the day is, seem to be held outside in the lovely Texas heat. If this is your plan as well, be gracious on your guests and provide a fan so that they do not pass out and miss the ceremony. The fans at this wedding had dual purposes. They provided a bit of breeze as well as having the details of the wedding printed right on them (clever right?). As a foodie, I am always interested to see and try the variety of foods that are provided at weddings. This was no exception and I must say the food was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the wedding favor which was a favorite of the bride. They were little Pan de Polvo cookies (made in Kingsville, TX) and placed in delicate boxes with the traditional ribbons on top. We all enjoyed them so much that I decided to come up with my own version on the ride home. Mine are more of a cross between a snickerdoodle and Mexican wedding cake. But the effect I was trying to go for was a cookie that tasted like a churro. My cookies are light and cinnamon-flaovored, and a bit different than the usual Mexican wedding cake cookies.

This wedding had all the elements that a Southern Wedding should, even down to the Groom's father being the Officiant. The bride and groom read their own vows and my favorite line from the Bride to the Groom was (I hope I got this correct) "Thank you for teaching me to cook without a recipe." That stood out in my mind because I am a firm believer that learning how to cook and enjoying it, is truly a gift of Love, and what better place is there to say it. I'm jus' sayin'!


Thank you Janell & John for letting us share in this blessed occasion!



Churro Drops



1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 Cup butter flavored crisco
2 Tbs. agave syrup
2. Cup flour
1/2 Cup of chopped pistachios
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

To roll the hot cookies in after baked: 2 Tbs. cinnamon mixed with 3/4 Cup sugar.

Preheat oven to 350`

Mix first 3 ingredients until combined and fluffy. Add the rest. Form 1 tsp. of dough into a ball and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 14 minutes. Take out and toss gently into cinnamon sugar mixture. let cool on a rack. These are very delicate, so keep in an airtight container up to a week.

Cheap Enough to Entertain Guests

It's been argued for quite some time which culture brings out the most flavor on the smallest budget. Though I would never take sides, I must say that Asian cultures seem to utilize all those cheap and fresh ingredients into some unique and tasty fast food. Growing up, I remember when Top Ramen came out. My mom brought these funny little packages home for two reasons: first, they were cheaper than dirt, and second, they were different and Mom always liked trying new things with us. Mom only had to make them once to realize that this was a blank canvas with which to paint with her leftovers. Because there is more sodium than any real nutritional value, she decided to start adding veggies - you know, the kind that we kids preferred not to eat. As young adults living on our own, my brothers and I learned how to survive on those noodles. We could add garlic and ginger and leftover deli meats to make it quite a fast and (relatively) healthy meal. Over the years the price of these packages seems to remain inexpensive and the only thing that has changed is the rainbow of flavors they come in. I have and always will keep a supply of Ramen packages in the pantry for quick dinners that the kids can make on their own.

A few years ago a dear Japanese friend and co-worker made me a salad to go. I brought it home and my kids and I were hooked. When I asked her what it was she just said in her cute, lovely way "It's Japanese noodle salad. I make it for my son always." She then showed me how to turn those simple Ramen noodles into a cool Japanese noodle salad. This dish incorporates the culture and art of Japanese cooking into an inexpensive way to entertain guests. So next time your thinking of ways to brighten up your kids college care package, think outside the box and send them a case of Top Ramen with some recipe cards attached... you may just end up paying more for the postage. I'm jus' sayin'!



Japanese Noodle Salad (compliments of Kimiko aka Ms. Carmen)

3 packages of low sodium chicken Top Ramen noodles (or your choice of flavor). Cook per directions, drain and cool.

1 seeded & julienned red pepper
4 bias-cut green onions
1/2 julienned english cucumber
1 tomato, diced
1 cup of cold, leftover cooked meat (or deli ham) julienne or diced
2 eggs mixed in a cup and fried in one large skillet of 1 tbs of olive oil so that it looks like a large pancake. Take out of pan and roll up like a tortilla and chiffonade with knife to get egg ribbons.

Dressing
3 tbs. of low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs. of rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Mix the above

To Assemble
Place noodles in bowl and using your creativity, disperse equal portions of the veggies, meat and egg in a little sundial fashion. Drizzle dressing over the top and eat immediately or cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge before serving.