Cooking with Moi

Whenever cousin Moi comes to stay with us for her vacation, she teaches me how to cook something new. She has been coming to see us every summer for a few years (four?) which for me, means I have gotten some pretty awesome cooking lessons, not to mention amazing company, wet-your-pants laughter, partner in crime adventures, and just a ton of fun. I love her visits.

Moi went to culinary school and owns her own chocolate company, Moi Chocolates (which you should check out- delish!!) I am always inspired by her ease in the kitchen and all of the little tips and tricks she has up her sleeve. Now, I have to admit that it is the little things that make me giddy- but she is impressive! Each year, after she leaves, I have new wonderful additions to my cook book that sustain us until next summer.

This year, Moi taught me how to make Chinese Dumplings. I won't be able to post a recipe, because like all people who know how to cook (not me!) she doesn't use recipes. I am really a follow-the-rules, measure-everything kind of girl, but Moi is teaching me how to use my senses more to cook.

We gathered all of our groceries at Uwajimaya. Aren't these mushrooms beautiful?

Baby bok choy. Wee-boy picked it out. Not that he'll eat it!

Chop chop.

 Ground chicken in an Asian market is much finer than in a western market. Moi says that I could also buy western ground chicken and toss it in my Cuisinart. (And I do love a reason to use the Cuisinart!)

Take off your rings and get mixing!

 We tossed in some salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Then it was time to wrap!

A little dab of filling, then wet the rim of the wrapper with an egg wash. 

 Pinch the edges together to seal the goodness inside. Then I learned to make them fancy with a fan crimp.

 Beautiful!

 Pop 'em in a pan.

 Add a little water to steam.

Steam. Steam. Steam. Moi says you know when they are ready because you can smell them. It may take me a few tries to get that part right!

 These babies are going to give Din Tai Fung a run for their money!

Moi also made sauted bok choy and soy sauce noodles. It was a great kitchen adventure and we all ate WAY too much at dinner!! I was also reminded that Moi and I have yet another similarity: we both cook with every dish in the kitchen!

Moi says that the best chefs are messy- so if I am messy, that is a good sign. For the mess that I can make- I should be WAY better than I am! It was worth every dish.

Thanks, Moi!

Inspiration File: Laundry Room

One might think that I am pregnant the way I am nesting these days. Sorry, Mom, not pregnant! I think that all of this time off in the summer just gets me itching to decorate, create, and nest in a way I can't during the school year.

My current obsession is with the powder room/guest bathroom. I walked in there the other day and I had HAD it with the blah-ness of it all. So, naturally, I decided that it must immediately be redecorated. Four different towel expeditions later, I have a general theme and color scheme. It will be wonderful once I make/find/repurpose some art for the walls (well, and paint and patch the wall from the 12 holes I had already put in the walls. I didn't like that art anymore anyway.)

So why is this post about the laundry room and not the bathroom? Well, because I am not ready to reveal the bathroom yet. AND in true Sunshine fashion, I have moved on to my next project without finishing the last one.

Enter Pinterest. If you haven't checked this site out where have you been? you should. Just type in your interest, and see fabulous pics from all over the web that people have "pinned."

Here are a few drool-worthy laundry rooms that I have my eye on:
(I apologize for the tiny size of these pictures. I will figure this thing out eventually!)

I am also currently obsessed in love with blue.

How sweet is this!?

Almost makes you want to do laundry. 

The laundry symbols are adorable. I have been pondering the Cricut.
I fear that my house will be overwhelmed with vinyl sunshine!

Now I am itching to paint some Sunshine in our house. However, I made a vow to wait at least one year before picking up a paintbrush in our new house. The countdown has begun!
I think I will have to start in the laundry room...

What is your current obsession? Leave a comment and let me know!

Ugly Cookies

There are many names for these ugly cookies: No-Bake, Boiled, Chocolate Oatmeal. It doesn't matter what you call them, you just better make a double batch! Since we lucked out winning the "dessert" category for the neighborhood Block Party, I enlisted my littlest kitchen helper to make our contribution.

I dug the recipe out of my family cook book.

Aren't these cards awesome? I love having recipes written in my mom's handwriting. 

It's like she is in the kitchen cooking with me. 

The stuff that sinful things are made of. 

 First, mix butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa in a saucepan.  

Bring to a "full, rolling boil."Looks like boiling lava to me, but smells heavenly!

Then add oatmeal (always double check your assistant's measuring skills!)

Add peanut butter and vanilla. This is an awesome gadget- perfect for measuring goopy ingredients. When you are ready to add them, you just push the plunger in. 

Leave it to Alton Brown to figure that one out!

 Mix. Mix.

 Mix it up! Mix. Mix. Mix. Mmmm. Resist the temptation to lick the spoon. 

 It's hot. Trust me. Resist. The. Urge.

 The spoon the deliciousness onto waxed paper. Let them cool.

Still drying. Not ready yet....

Hmm.. NOW I think they are ready!

They may not be pretty, but they will add sunshine to your day!!

Salute! Pizza al Fresco!

Recently, I took a class at a local cooking school named SizzleWorks. The class was all about making Italian style pizza on the grill! What a class! To be honest, I have never taken a cooking class before, and although I love the idea of cooking, I have made some pretty awful meals. Okay, there are a few good ones now and then, but... I was a little intimidated, but since a friend invited me (thanks, Erin!), I took the plunge.

Don't you love how my wine looks blue in this pic? 

Anyway, we chopped and diced and ate and sliced and drank and grilled and ate. It was blissful. And I felt all professional, like I actually knew what I was doing. This is a big facade for me. I pretend I know, but I am just making it up!!

This was my creation. Half pesto, mozz, tomato, garlic and half gorganzola (I love me some stinky cheese!) pear, and pinenuts. 

Let's just say that I didn't have any left to share or take home! And... I may have eaten a few pieces of my neighbor's pizza. 


I was so jazzed about making my own pizza (and that you put it RIGHT ON THE GRILL!) that we decided to have grilled pizzas for our 4th of July BBQ. Sure hamburgers and dogs are the all-American choice, but I couldn't resist! I'll post pics of that grand adventure later.


Meanwhile, here is the recipe for the pizza dough. 

Thin Crust Italian Pizza Dough

1 package yeast (bread yeast, the blue package)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup warm water (110 to 120*F)

3 cups type 00 pizza flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dissolve yeast and add 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water, set aside to "proof." Meanwhile, in food processor, process remaining sugar, flour, and salt to combine. With machine running, add yeast mixture slowly. Then add oil. Process until ball forms, adding additional water if necessary. Process 45 seconds to knead, making a very soft dough. Cover and let rise on an olive oil greased pan, about 1 hour, until double. Pat out to form circle, roll to cracker thin, brush with olive oil (or garlic oil-yum!) and top as desired. Use cornmeal on the bottom for "ball-bearings" then slide onto a very hot grill. Once grill marks are present, move it up to the top rack in your grill for about 4 minutes. Presto!