Pancit Bihon

For some reason, this recipe feels like it will take a whole day of cooking to prepare it.  But, it's really just because there are multiple preparatory steps before it all comes together.

But, if you time it well, the recipe takes less time than you think it would.

I made pancit bihon for New Years, and there was enough of it to last the boyfriend and me several days of meals.  Pancit is basically a Filipino noodle dish and, similar to adobo and sinigang, can be made in a variety of different ways.

This recipe was one that I acquired from my mother.  Being that I spent the holidays away from my family, I definitely needed to have some Filipino food to make up for it.

I was very pleased to know that the ingredients to make pancit aren't too difficult to get, though many of the ingredients I already had at home.

Ingredient List
Pancit Bihon noodles (can be found in Super 88 in the noodle section)
1lb Chicken (boneless and skinless) OR 1 box of Firm Tofu
2 boxes of Chicken Broth OR Veggie Broth
2 bags of Veggie Stir-fry (I suggest just going to Trader Joe's and getting their frozen bag of veggie stir-fry. I ended up getting a bag of frozen veggies + a bag of frozen edamame from Whole Foods this time around.)
1 bulb Garlic
2 Onions
Canola Oil or Olive Oil
Ground Pepper
Paprika
Soy Sauce
Green Onion
Lemons

Initial Prep
1. Cut 1 bag of noodles in half, and place them in a pot of water to soften.  Do not turn the heat on!  This procedure makes the noodles soft and easier to work with.

You can also get a brand called "Excellent," with a picture of a shrimp on it.
That's the brand my mom recommends.

2. Boil chicken.  When chicken is boiled, shred the chicken (you can just use your fingers or a fork) and put aside.  OR Fry tofu in a 1/2 cup of canola oil and put aside.
3. Mince garlic and saute.  Once all the garlic has browned, set it aside.

Browned Garlic and Shredded Chicken

Veggie Prep
1.  Cut and chop onions.  Saute them in a wok with a 1/2 tbsp of oil.
2.  Add the stir-fry veggies when the onions are coated in oil.  You can use all 2 bags or just 1 1/2 bags depending on how large your container is.
3.  Add 1ts of ground pepper, and 1/2ts of paprika.
4.  When the liquid has mostly evaporated and veggies are drying, add 2tbs of chicken or veggie broth.
5.  After most of the broth has been absorbed, set the veggies aside.

Sauteing Veggies

Noodles
1.  In the same wok you used to cook the veggies, put in 1 box + 1 cup of broth, 3/4 cup of soy sauce, 2tbs oil, 2ts ground pepper, 1/2ts paprika.
2.  When the mixture starts to boil, put in the softened noodles.  Mix to coat all the noodles.

Almost done!

3.  When the noodles have almost absorbed the liquid mixture, throw in 1/2 of the sauteed veggies.  Saute the mixture.
4.  When all the liquid has been absorbed by the noodles, it's done!

Finishing Touches
1.  Place the noodles in a serving dish (probably a large tray of some sort).
2.  Put the remaining veggies on top of the noodles.
3.  Then place the chicken or tofu on top of the veggies.
4.  Then put the browned garlic on top of the chicken.
5.  Then sprinkle chopped green onions all over the dish.
6.  Finally, chop lemons in halves, then quarters.  Put the quarters on the sides of the dish.

Voila!

To serve this dish, you want a nice large scoop of everything.  I highly recommend squeezing some lemon on the noodles before feasting.

Altogether, the preparation and cooking probably took me about an hour and a half, which is pretty fast compared to what it looks like.

Also, while it's delicious fresh from the kitchen, I think it's also quite delicious the next day after being in the fridge.  You can reheat it, but it's also delicious as a cold meal.

Personally, I could eat a ginormous bowl of this stuff!  It's one of the highlights of Filipino get-together's.

Snow Day for the Unemployed - A Picture Story

The first blizzard of 2011 is here in Boston.  The streets are all covered, and the people are all nestled at home.

I can't believe that the snow is still so novel to me!  In a day, when the snow has hardened to ice or when it's in big clumps of browning dirty snow, I won't be as excited as I am today.  But today, I woke up somewhat excited by all the white has taken over.

Before coffee this morning, I put on my coat and boots and ventured out into the cold.

Checking out the view before heading outside.

The plows were already out, trying to clear what's accumulated.  Though some were waiting for more of it to accumulate before clearing the roads.

Snow plow in the wings.

Today also happens to be trash day.  But what are the odds that they will actually be picked up?

Can you see the trash bags and recycling bins?

There's no way that anyone is getting anywhere today.  At least, there's no way that you'll be able to get anywhere on time today.  The T is running, but it is more like a stroll through the snow.

I'm pretty sure all the snow gets plowed onto the tracks...then what?

Not everyone has a snow day.  Surely nurses and doctors don't have that luxury, and certainly neither do paramedics and firemen.  Though, I sure hope that whatever emergencies there are today are not too intense.

No rest for the weary.

It's difficult to explain the feeling to those who don't have to live in this kind of weather.  Sure, I will be the first to tell you that I dislike having no other choice but to trudge through the snow just to get somewhere.  But, there is something exhilarating about being outside during a blizzard.

Yay!

It's the cold air, the snowflakes that hit your face.  It's exciting to see a snowflake on your glove and notice the individual crystals that make them all so unique.

Snowflakey.

It's beautiful and quiet.  At least for now.

Who knew that I would enjoy the snow as much as I have?

Feeling Ranty: About Disney

So, a couple of months ago, I ranted a bit about The Little Mermaid.  Now, I'm going to rant a bit about people's negative opinions about Disney.

**********************

I want to start with a quick disclaimer.  I'm a Disney fan.  I love the movies, I grew up watching the Disney channel (though I couldn't stand to watch it now).  Being a generally open-minded person, I've heard other people's opinions about Disney movies and characters.  I've listened to what they had to say, and I could even see what they were talking about.  But that hasn't stopped me from enjoying the movies.  So, this post acknowledges that people have very different opinions than me.  But this is my blog, so here's my thoughts after much discussion and thinking.

**********************

Let's start with the most obvious thing that people hate on, shall we?

I'm not really sure when Alice became a Princess.
Also, this is definitely not a comprehensive image of all the
Disney female characters.

Disney Princesses
I get it, I really do.  Tons of women, including myself, have been "lied to" and "duped" into thinking that a Prince Charming would come along to sweep us off our feet and ride us into the sunset.  Oh, ya.  And they lived happily every after.

Clearly, that's incorrect.  Clearly, when Disney first began the divorce rate was much lower, rates of reported domestic abuse were lower, and women were not as independent.  With the changes in society, the Disney Princesses have also changed.

Now, let me take the core 6 Disney Princesses that are highlighted on every Disney Princess merchandise item.

Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella were all beautiful and eventually saved by Princes.  Sure, they were all extremely kind to animals as well as fabulous singers.  But, for the most part their stories were being guided by male figures and evil women.

Moving on to the 1990's.

Ariel, Belle, and Jasmin were all beautiful and eventually saved by Princes.  Sure, they were all extremely kind to animals as well as fabulous singers.  But Ariel was independent and strong-willed, Belle was a bibliophile, and Jasmin was curious about other worlds and open-minded.

I could probably go on about how people think they're all horrible role models, how they all cater to some male sexual fantasy, and how they teach little girls the wrong things.

Firstly, why hasn't anyone mentioned the fact that the Disney Princesses are fictional characters, mainly created by male writers?  Yet, we blame the females for their shortcomings.  It could never have been the males fault, oh no.  We need to keep putting the blame on other women because that is the easiest thing to do.

Seeing that the holiday season just ended, I'm going to go with this metaphor:  Why is it okay for your child to believe that it's perfectly acceptable for a strange man to come into your home just because he's bringing a gift, but it's not okay for your child dress up to feel pretty and to believe that they are deserving of a happy and healthy relationship (which you as the parent will help to define for them)?

Really, I'm a strong believer that movies and cartoons are too easily scapegoated when it's the parents who say, "Well, the t.v. can babysit my child while I go do other things or take a rest or whatever."  Don't get me wrong, I understand being exhausted.  But that just doesn't seem like a good reason to skirt responsibility for what your child sees on tv, hears on the radio, or sees in their households and among their friends.

For goodness sake, talk to your child about gender roles at an early age!  It would be just as irresponsible to ignore or not allow your child's interest in "girly, princessy" things, because it would just lead to more misinformation.

Completely Forgotten Characters and Movies
So, first people get angry at Disney because of the Princesses.  But then they get angry at all the other movies for being boring or uninteresting or unoriginal - and those other stories were mainly those that didn't have a female character lead.

The "unoriginal" debate is the most ridiculous thing I've heard.  Disney made itself by taking well-known and well-loved stories and animating them.  Most of the stories were modified in some way or another to make them fit within the film constraints.  I personally can't name a lot of movies that stayed true to the original story as much as possible - well, except maybe the Lord of the Rings trilogy which were 3 hours long!

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say that all the Disney movies were absolutely amazing.  For example, I'm not really a huge fan of "Home On the Range," but I'd probably watch it again if it came into my possession.

But I heard all kinds of negative feedback about "Atlantis," "Treasure Planet," "Tarzan," and a whole host of others.  I could probably rant about the negative opinions about each of them, but I won't.

I just found it extremely interesting that everyone would find something negative about anything Disney would put out.  If there was a female lead, then she must be a horrible role model in some way maybe because she dared to want love.  If there was a male lead, then it was mainly ignored.

I don't know too many people my age who saw the movies I just mentioned above, unless they were Disney fans or have kids.

I just feel like all the Disney hating comes just because there's a name involved.  I get that - they're extremely powerful and own a lot of media outlets.  They get to control what we see in the media.

Yet, that doesn't mean that we aren't in control of our individual wills and thoughts and opinions.

But, those are just my thoughts and opinions.  And it's open for discussion.

Beginnings and Rumblings

It's only day 4 of 2011 and I can feel the momentum building.  There's movement and action, and I'm hoping it will all lead to bigger and better things.

While I was in Maine last week, I got an email about an opportunity to teach sex ed at a high school in the Greater Boston area.  All kinds of things went through my mind at the sight of the email.  I must have read it and reread it several times before making any more moves.

First, I had to think practically.  Could I get to the school by public transportation?  Would I be hearing back from previous jobs?  Do I have to reschedule anything?

After I figured out those logistical things, I responded to the email and spent the remainder of last week preparing for it.  At one point, I met with another volunteer and the head of the organization.

I was a bit nervous, truth be told.  While I was excited to interact with kids again and doubly excited to teach a sex ed curriculum, I started feeling some self-doubt.  Having no experience teaching sex ed and being unfamiliar with the curriculum, I just didn't know if I wold be able to pull it off.  It was almost as though I had forgotten how much experience I had under my belt.

But as we met and discussed the curriculum, I realized that I had nothing to worry about.  I know this is going to sound bad, but I actually felt better after the other volunteer asked me if I had experience teaching classrooms.  After quickly going through my experience and realizing that she was just applying for a Masters in Social Work and Sex Education, I calmed myself down.

Basic fundementals

When Monday finally arrived, I was nervous and excited.  I made sure to double check the bus directions, double check the curriculum, and double check my belongings.

As I exited the Haymarket T station, I looked around to eye all the bus numbers.  Realizing that I might be in the wrong section, I asked a T worker.  He said, "I don't know.  I actually just work with the subway."  I'm sorry, but why don't you know more about the services the T has?  Clearly, this is why they're losing money!

Frantic, I quickly walk to another exit, but I don't see my bus number and there's no other T worker around.  I quickly grab my phone and try to figure out where the bus is supposed to pick up.  I realize I'm most definitely at the wrong station, and there's no way I'm catching this extremely infrequent bus!

I had no other choice but to back track back to my neighborhood and grab a Zipcar.  I feel so flustered, but I knew I wasn't going to be late, since the bus would have gotten me there nearly 1 and a half hours before I needed to be there.

As I'm waiting in Government Station for the B line, I get a local phone call.  Since my cell has an L.A. area code, I know whether or not to pick up an unknown number.

The phone call is for a job I applied for back in December.  I schedule an interview for Tuesday.

Well, if these two days are any indication, I'm really hoping that there's more to come. In fact, this entire week is full of awesome.

All week I'll be teaching a sex ed curriculum.  The job interview went extremely well, especially after a fellow BUSSW alum peeked in and gave me an on-the-spot recommendation!  I will be contacting another agency tomorrow to inquire about a job I applied for.  The boyfriend will be starting grad school on Thursday.  I will hopefully hear back about the most recent job interview by Friday.  And the weekend will be dedicated to my side job and a sales meeting.

I am feeling eternally grateful for this week.  I feel busy and active and useful. 

Just a little more of that, please, 2011.  A healthy, manageable amount of activity that still leaves time for my side business to grow and for me to spend time with the soon-to-be-busy boyfriend and the kitties.

"If we forget old times, we will not forget their memories"

Happy Happy New Year Everyone!

May 2011 be full of deliciousness, embraces, dancing, and laughter.