Madison xmas party

Madison Pre-K4 Xmas Party

Yesterday I went to Madison xmas party at her school....

Tea...............ANYONE?

Today, Madison and I went to the Roosevelt Hotel for a Tea Party (Bear Tea Party) with some of our closest friends and their kids. The girls had such a great time...they got all dressed up. It was great seeing my lil gal having so much fun...Gotta make this a yearly thing....

The hotel was so beautifully decorated....we couldnt resist taking too too many pictures...

the hunt for the right tree...

Purple...Blue color scheme

before it was decorated






This year I was on the hunt for a FAT and SHORT tree...but instead I got just the OPPISITE...TALL and SKINNY...which made it so much easier to decorate and have alot more spaces for the kiddos train and present.

I also wanted to go with a very simple color scheme...purple with gold...but then Ethan kept picking up the BLUE ornaments and Madison keep wanted to put the FUSCHIA ones on it....Ted wanted to add the GREEN ones....but I didnt wanted a PEACOCK tree so....I just settle for purple...fuschia...and blue...

TERRIFIC 2...

Ethan bday present...

6 months

1 1/2 years old

1 week old

1 week old

• very independent..wants to do everything on his own....
• loves to eat... udon, rice, noodles, pasta, mac n cheese, french fries, nuggets
• loves loves CHOCOLATES and CHEESE
• hates MILK
• light up whenever he sees anything THOMAS the train...
• have to put on cologne every morning
• very easy to fall asleep..can sleep anywhere and anytime..
• can speak a few words "ee"=Ethan "i woo woo"=I LOVE U "juice" "thi thi" "het minh"
• when he farts...he tells u with a BIG o smile
• loves to kiss me with his mouth wide open
• can blow out his own candles and sign "happy birthday" to himself
• loves to play patty cake....and sign "ole mcdonald"
• loves to help me clean up after his mess...
• thinks it funny when I put him in "time out"
• wants to do everything his sister does
• can NOT sit still for 1 minute

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my LIL MONKEY...I LOVE U SO SO MUCH!!!

Shrimp Lemon-Butter pasta

INGREDIENTS:

10 garlic cloves--smooch..I love garlic so I put alot..if u dont like garlic then put less
2 lemons, zested and juiced
5 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 stick of butter
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 pound medium shrimp peeled, deveined and butterflied ...I buy the ones from Sam's Warehouse....its already peeled and all u have to do is run through hot water and basicly heat with the sauce for about 2 minutes...
1/4 onion
1 pound thick linguini
cherry tomatoes...cut into halves...


Directions
In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside.



Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.


Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate.

In a same skillet add the butter and olive oil..then add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon and the cherry tomatoes.. and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately...I also love my sauce with alot of juice so I add about 1 cup of the pasta water...I top mines with cilantro...and tony seasoning....

LSU vs Gator

Even though the LSU lost to the Gators...we still had a great time eating and cheering them on...

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Bacco

Birthday Girl

lobster ravioli and filet mignon

Catherine, Trinh Le, Linda, Dau, Trinh Tran, me, Trinh Bui

The Group


For Trinh Le bday we went to Bacco on Chartre...the food was yummy and we had such a great

time...cant wait for the next get together....

Baked Salmon

Baked Salmon with eel sauce

salmon wrapped around snowcrab balls

Salmon balls: mayo/sugar/imitations snowcrabs

1 lb of imitations snowcrab meat

1/2 cup of mayo

1 teaspoon of sugar

(if u like it with more mayo...some people like it super moist/wet)

then roll into balls like picture above...

next cut salmon into very thin slices and wrap around snowcrab balls ....I started from the bottom then worked my way up.....drizzle with eel sauce (I did it right before I put it under broil)

EEL SAUCE:

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 of soy sauce

1/2 of mirin (japanese sweet wine)

cant find at international stores or Rouses...

put on med heat and stir occassional ..I cooked mines for about 20 minutes until it got kinda thick then when u take off heat it will thicken up and when u drizzle over baked salmon and put in oven it will also thicken up too..

put in oven for about 15 minutes on 350 then broil for about 2 minutes

REMEMBER:to keep a very close eye on the bake salmon when it is under BROIL because u can burn it really fast...
ENJOY!!!

October

HaPpy OcToBeR!!!!

I love this time of the year...beginning of all my favorite holidays..and the wonderful weather.

All the leaves are a beautiful colors....pumpkins in all the stores...la la la LOVE FALL..

Red Beans and Rice...

Red Beans and Rice
2 Tbsp butter/oil/EVOO

Tbsp Creole Seasoning

1 Cup Onion chopped

1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper chopped or green

1/2 Cup Celery Chopped

2 Cup Andouille Sausage Cubed

1/2 lb. Small Red Beans (soaked overnight or for at least a few hours)

2 Tbsp Fresh Garlic Minced

2 Smoked Ham hock

1 package of salty ham

8 Cups Chicken Stock (You could certainly use water)...I actually used water because it is less salty...

3 Fresh Bay Leaves

A bundle of fresh Thyme2 ..or if u dont have fresh ones then used dry ones...that is what I used...1 teaspoon...

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp Crystal Hot sauce...u also need this at the end when u are serving...

(1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce...u can..I dont like it with tomato sauce)

1 Tbsp Italian Parsley

1 teaspoon of sugar

Finely Chopped1/4 Cup Green Onions

Mix together the Holy Trinity (Onions, Celery, Bell Pepper). Drain the beans.Melt the oil/butter over medium heat.Add 1/2 of the Holy Trinity, 1 Tbsp of the Creole Seasoning (or tony) and the Andouille, turn the heat to medium high. Cook this for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to get some color.Add the beans and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.Add the Chicken Stock or Water, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Thyme, Ham hock the remaining Trinity and Creole Seasoning. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this simmer for 4 Hours. The first hour is low maintenance; an occasional stir and making sure the beans are covered with liquid. The second hour, you want to check back a little more often, the beans will really start to absorb some liquid and you don’t want them to stick.
Remove the Ham hock, trim away any meat and add it back to the pot.After the beans have cooked for two hours, add the Tomato Sauce optional... the Parsley and 1/2 of the Green Onions. Make your Rice. Cook the beans for another half hour.

*Place the link(s) of Chaurice or sausage in a medium sized cast iron skillet. Cover half way with water and bring to a boil. Turn often, as the water evaporates until all that is left in the pan is fat from the sausage. Brown the casings of the sausage in the remaining fat, serve hot...strictly optional...too.....

To Serve:Remove the Bay Leaves. Mound a half cup of Rice each, onto two serving plates, Cover with a generous helping of the Red Beans, Garnish with the remaining Green Onions. and of course the hot sauce....

What I do at the end is add 2 tablespoon of butter to my red beans...it makes it so creamy...I also add hot sausage links to my red beans also but I dont cook it until about 1 hour before I turn the stove off...please make sure to keep an eye on the red beans because u dont want them to burn...so keep adding water is u have too...and keep on low heat...

This recipe is to my taste...I usually add all kinds of things...so ...please use the concept of the recipe and make it to ur taste...I hope u enjoy...

Roast Beef

What u Need!!! A CROCKPOT

Ingredients:

chuck roast ( a get it from Sam....depends on how much u make....I usually used about 1 to 2 pounds)

1 pack of lipton onion soup mix

1 large onion

1 whole garlic (about 6 cloves)

6 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of tony

1 tablespoon of flour

2 cup of water (depends on if u like alot of juice...if u dont then just use 1 cup and also depend on how much fat is in ur meat....if it is a fatty piece use 1 cup because u will get alot of juice from the meat)

black pepper

*I also put about 1 teaspoon of garlic power too...cuz I love garlic*

ok..now put everything in a crockpot...dice up the onion...and mince the garlic if u like...I just peel and leave the whole piece...because u will be cooking this baby for about 8 hour on low or 4-5 hours on high...depends on the chuck of meat that u used...

I also just stick the whole piece of meat in the crockpot...I dont even bother to cut it up...it might take less hours if u chunk it...

Then u just season to taste....I eat it as a sandwich or on mash potatoes...so I like it kinda salty...so usually at the end I would take a folk and shred it to little pieces and add a little more tony..

U can also make a beef stew with it...just pour out some of the juice and put in ur veggie at the end...i dont like my veggies all soggy so I leave my veggies steam and I just serve it on the side...

ENJOY!!!

I hope u guys like it...please leave me a comment if u like it...thanks..

Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups of cooked rice

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup fresh bean sprouts 1/2 cup chopped onion (white or green) I used both...

1 1/2 cups cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined without tail

1/4 cup chopped green onion

4 eggs, beaten (I like alot egg)

*1 teaspoon salt (I used chicken power so I dont use any salt...)*

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon of chicken powder

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 little bag of mix veggies (carrots/green beans/corn) in freezer aisle...or u can use whatever veggies u like

*I also like alot of veggies so sometimes I put in cabbages

DIRECTION:

SHOW TO COOK THE RICE:

In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and allow rice to cool.

Cook eggs...scramble them...then set aside...

I also like to sautee the meat/shrimp/crawfish/chicken first then set it aside...

Heat a large skillet or wok for 2 minutes.

When the skillet or wok is hot, pour in vegetable oil, bean sprouts and onions.That is if u like ur bean sprout to be really cooked...if not u can add it at the end..

Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

Mix in cooled rice and shrimp and cook for another 3 minutes. Stirring constantly.

Mix in green onions, eggs, salt, pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil and any veggies that u like...Cook for another 4 minutes, stirring continuously, until eggs are cooked and everything is blended evenly.

U can sub. any kind of meat u like...crawfish...shrimp...

I hope u enjoy!!!

what has been invading my house

Ever since Ted learned how to make these things..he has been going crazy...they are everywhere around my house....

Independent

Ethan is trying to be so independent...usually he gets it right!!!

Labor Day 2009

what a beautiful day...weekend...

Ethan playing in the sand

knock out after a long day at the beach...sleeping on the beach

I made Cat Le into a prego...mermaid...

Labor Day 09...Destin Florida

the water was so nice and clear..

Green Beans with Ground Meat

Green Beans with sautee Ground Meat

Ingredients:

1 bag of green beans (1 pound)...I love the french ones from Sam...

1/2 pound of ground meat

6 cloves of garlic

1 small white onion

4 tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 teaspoon of sugar

EVOO

some green onion/shallot

black pepper.

I like to blanch my green beans ...so in a pot fill with water ..put the green beans in and once it gets a dente take out and shock with ice cold water.

In a large skillet...put in some EVOO (butter...oil) and put in the garlic and white onion..sautee until tender (watch for the garlic..sont want to burn cuz garlic taste nasty when it is burnt) then put in the ground meat...cook for about 10 minutes then put in the oyster sauce and sugar...stir ..when it is cook pour in the green beans and mix together then turn off heat cuz u dont want the green beans to be smoochy...then top with a few pieces of green onion (shallots) and pepper...add more seasoning to taste...

Serve with Rice!!!

ENJOY!!!

Crawfish a la VODKA

Crawfish a la VODKA

U can use any type of pasta...I happen to LOVE penne...but yesterday I used something like a cork screw pasta...I also added brocolli because I wanted to used it up before it goes bad...

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked penne pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes...I used rotel (if u are using the hot or original then u dont need the pepper flakes)
3/4 teaspoon tony or u can use salt
1 cup vodka (any brand)
5 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup of green onion

1 cup parm cheese

sometimes I add broccoli or mushroom...totally up to u....

Optionals:

crawfish tails

grill chicken

shrimp
2 links sweet Italian sausage


DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

If u are using the sausage link then in large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown.

Add tomatoes can and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Add vodka for about 5 minutes before u add the cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss for 1 minute. Stir in fresh onion and cilantro and parm cheese

serve!

Enjoy!!!

Gosh...7 years!!!

my handsome hubby

Ribeye

Banana Bread Pudding

Me and my main squeeze ;)

Galatoire's Restaurant

7 years ago I married my BESTFRIEND and SOULMATE....

looking forward to another 70 wonderful years...

new FAVORITE color...

I just ordered this dress for a party that I am going too....the theme color is PURPLE..it took me a long time to finally found a purple dress...I la la la la LOVE it...cant not wait to wear it...

OK...last one...until next year...

Ethan, me and Madison at Drago's

Blowing out cupcakes from "Bee Sweet" on my bday

Jennifer, me, Ethan and Madison blowing out my bday cake on Saturday night at my house

Carrot Cake...yummy!!

Carrot Cake

Me, Ethan and Madison blowing out the cake at Drago's

Yes...this weekend we celebrated my bday once again...one more time...hehe..I think this is it for this year...until next year...

Ted took me out to eat on friday night to DRAGO's at the Hilton hotel ....we had plans to go out to eat just the 2 of us but I really wanted to do something with him and the kids so we opted for DRAGO's instead.Madison loves lobsters and oysters so I knew she would love it just as much as I did. To my surprise...Ethan ate up the charbroiled oysters like it was candy...woohoo...that's my boy.

Then on saturday night we had a little get together at my house with my closest friends and family...we had such a great time because we just all sat there until midnight talking about everything and anything.

This has to be ONE OF MY BEST birthday ever because I got to spend it with my dearest and closest friends and family....life doesnt get any better than this....

lets see what next year brings us....

Happy Birthday to me.....