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February 21, 2009

hard and dark

posted by Jasmine in parents say the darndest things @ 10:10 am

Piece of an email from mom this morning:

Also, I am emptying the kitchen cabinet these days and found many cups, utensil and formula bottles you guys used 30 some years ago….Should I still keep all of them? the nipples of formula bottles have turned hard and dark.

February 13, 2009

stewed ham hocks like my mom makes

posted by Jasmine in food; and parents say the darndest things @ 11:12 am

As per Syd’s request…

There’s lots of things that I grew up eating that I really miss, to my utter surprise. I often try to recreate them, sometimes with help from my mom. Recently I picked up ham hocks from the new Publix down the road (which is not shy about selling animal parts), so I asked my mom how to make the stew that I love so much.
Here’s what she told me:

* Put the hocks perpenticular in the pot if you can (so the skin won’t touch the pot and won’t burn)
* Add water just to barely cover the hocks
* Add ginger, garlic, small amount of green onion if you like, soy sauce, sugar, a tiny pinch of five spice powder (not required)
* Cook to tender. You may want to turn the hocks from time to time to prevent burning

Like me, my mom doesn’t cook with recipes or measurements. But I think they turned out ok. The Little Red Haired Girl, of course, will not eat them.

Before:

ham hocks 1

After:

ham hocks 2

Edit: We used to eat this in a bowl over spaghetti with a squirt of ketchup mixed in.

February 11, 2009

Ceramic Knife

posted by Jasmine in things for buying @ 11:13 am

ceramic knife

Bought this last night with wedding gift card. It’s light and cuts like buttah. In the market now for some sort of protective item, a sheath perhaps, to keep it from chipping/snapping in two.