Trying to Start a New Year Tradition...

...But it's kind of hard when someone throws a Mission District Party at your house (okay, we can't complain, it's free rent), so I just did it tonight and pretended like it was New Year's Eve.

I want to start making jiaozi every new Year's Eve, like this, because by the time Chinese New Year comes around, I completely forget. I found a few new recipes 'cuz I didn't like the one I've been using. And decided to try them out in my bamboo steamer. The recipes ROCKED! I did a tofu/veggie one and a shrimp/pork one. Unfortunately, they only had square wrappers at the store, and they sucked really bad and they were too dry to fold, so I ended up having to wrap them like wontons... But they tasted awesome! We also had egg drop soup.

Sofie is getting practice early in life :) I'm hoping someday she'll be old enough to help me wrap the dumplings.

It only works if she stabs the food...

And if anybody has great recipes that require a bamboo steamer, send 'em my way! There's not much online.

Christmas Videos

Sofie's first taste of real freedom, learning to run like a wild stallion at Jumpin Jacks!

Is this what walking on the moon feels like? This is how we got her to stop crying after Jake took her down a slide.

I just can't get over her cute little voice in this video. And thanks again Kasey! Such a cute gift!!

I love how out of it she was! We woke her up around 8:00 so the boys wouldn't have to wait for her all morning (she usually sleeps in 'til 9:30!) so she was still half asleep, but happy enough. (and you gotta love Ronica's helmet...)

A Million Christmas Pictures

We had an incredibly great Christmas, full of lots of family and food. We were way too spoiled!!

Porcaro Christmas Party: Sofie, Derek, G-pa Porcaro

Porcaro Christmas Party

Porcaro Christmas Party: Sofie, Sierra, Tobin (patiently waiting for dinner)

Porcaro Christmas Party: Sofie's reaction to Santa!! Not good.

Porcaro Christmas Party: Sofie's present

St. George Christmas Eve: SUNSHINE!!

St. George Christmas Eve: Cousins and sunshine! How much awesome can you have?

St. George Christmas Eve:

Derek's brother Jake works at Jumpin' Jacks and got us in after hours on Christmas Eve. Whole place to ourselves!! The boys (both adult and toddler) have soooo much fun!! This was the slide that made Sofie cry (she eventually had fun).

St. George Christmas Eve:

Jumpin' Jacks. Scary, Mom.

St. George Christmas:

Sofie's new jammies (thank Linds!!)

St. George Christmas: SANTA!!

The most adorable Fisher Price Kitchen EVER! It makes all the noises. And plastic food of course.

St. George Christmas:

With Papa and Broden

St. George Christmas:

Buried somewhere behind our mountain of gifts

St. George Christmas:

Derek's box of iPhone accessories

La Mien! Chinese pulled noodles -the first attempt

Thanks to Chelsea and Kevin, who attempted the "pulled noodle" last month (click on the words in quotation to see a video!!), I went online to learn and figured I'd try it myself. They're no Uighur Noodles, but I thought for a first try, I did pretty good! I'm pretty sure I ate these noodles every single day, sometimes twice in a day in Nanjing. It was fun to try, but it's still easier to go down to Munchies and just buy a bowl of niu rou mien for a few bucks. :) And also, I've been notified by my husband, (who was kind enough to eat a bowl) that this is once again a recipe that his family would NEVER eat...

Struggled quite a bit with getting them uniform before they broke. Sometimes I wish I was a Uighur cook.

And here is my experiment with "shaved noodles." I only had a really dull potato peeler, so they didn't work out, but again, it was a fun walk down memory lane. (Looks a little bit like albino leeches...)

For those of you who may be remotely interested in La Mien making, try www.cheftomm.com/chinese-hand-pulled-noodles and www.lukerymarz.com/noodles/index.html

Long Time, No See

This week, Lindsey and I threw a party and gathered a bunch of friends we hadn't seen in a while! (and a few regulars as well) It was so much fun and there was tons of food!! Best of all was reliving those great 9th-12th grade memories. Ahhhh.

Jessica and Jackson with Ashlyn, enjoying the food!

Serena, Kendahl, Jordan and his wife Rachel, taking a walk down memory lane, with old old picture albums! YIKES!!

I forgot to get a picture of Steve Nelson and his family before they left, but this is his beautiful wife Sherrie and their son Jared (stole the picture from facebook)

Me and Mine.

Spencer and Mackenzie Pranger, and little man Colton.

Jackson, Jessica and babygirl Ashlyn Behling.

Jordan and Rachel Miles.

Kendahl Andrade, Lindsey Andersen, Serena Del Castillo

Linds and baby Sofie

Evan Crockett showed up as well, but my camera had already left the party, so no picture. It was tons of fun to see the next generation of "The Group" and we're so sad that a few people couldn't make it!! Hopefully we can get more people together next time (especially if we have more than 6 days to throw it together!!)

I'm the winner!!

My friend Chelsea (who I studied in China with) had a little raffle-ish thing going on last month, and I was one of the winners! She sent me this fun package of Christmas stuff (candy, cookies, hot chocolate, etc. etc.) and this way darling apron!! She's so talented! Thanks Chelsea!

Buon Natale!

Caterina Consiglieri Porcaro making ravioli.

Caterina is my great-great grandma, born in Italy in 1883 and came to America as a governess to a Doctor. She was remembered for her love, kindness, and talent for cooking great food (and was only 4'10"!!). She was a cook in the Porcaro's own Italian restaurant "Caro's" for years. Today we pass on the tradition of cooking ravioli for Christmas. Every Christmas Eve the Porcaro's get together for a big Italian feast of ravioli, meatballs, spaghetti, melanzane (an eggplant dish), etc. Unfortunately, G-pa has the big task of cooking the Italian food for all of us, so I'm trying to learn the trade so I can help keep the tradition alive.

Me trying to be as cool as Caterina was.

Grandpa Porcaro and me. The cheese filling.
(Sorry about all the cheesy poses)


Fortunately, we have new-fandangled technology to speed things along for us. This is the Kitchen Aid ravioli attachment that allows you to kneed the dough, stretch it, and add the filling to it.

Cutting the raviolis

Putting them on trays to freeze and keep until the party.

All Done!

I made about 250 (with G-pas supervision).

Thanks Great Great Gma Porcaro!

Ward Christmas Party

Andrea, Derek, and Sofie enjoying our Ward Christmas dinner. (I know Derek looks like he pretty much hates his life, but he was chewing and this was the look we got.)

Sofie loved the music! THS's Show and Chamber came to sing for us and Sofie helped lead the music. She learned this in Primary and I've never been able to get it on film. So cute. Denkers would be proud. (The kind lady holding her is a woman in our ward who couldn't get enough of Sofie that night!)

Talent or Desperation?

My mom says I have a talent for using leftovers in creative ways. I'm not so sure if it's a talent or if I'm just desperate to clean out the overflowing fridge. Anyway, this time we had leftover Western Family already-made pie crust (not enough for a full pie) and some cherry pie filling. So I made little pies using a cupcake tin. They boiled over quite a bit, but it was fun, and a great way to make individual sized pies. :)

B-day Times

This year for Derek's b-day we got to go to St. George to visit his family. (Although, this b-day cake pic was taken tonight here in Orem...) It was great to see them again and be able to watch the kids play together.
Sofie playing with cousin Ethan.

She decided to go ahead and share the walker with Ethan and push him around for a while. He was such a great sport!

Oh yeah, and Thanksgiving was great too. We spent it here in Utah Valley with my side of the fam. I don't have any pictures though. :(