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June 27, 2014

When I first got married, I had no idea how to cook.

“Oh, but you bake!” friends would say.

Baking ? cooking, my friends.

The whole thing was so overwhelming to me, from menu planning to grocery shopping to actually making edible things. If my husband hadn’t been so incredibly encouraging about the whole project and agreed to wash all the dishes (and there were a lot in the beginning, before experience taught me how to streamline better), I don’t know where we be today.

5 good recipes a year

Since I was so daunted by the prospect of making upwards of 200 meals a year, I instead focused on making it a personal goal to simply find five good recipes to “add to the mix.” I decided to research 5 of the diet friendly dishes closest to me, to try and inspire me.

Yes. Five.

That sounds totally doable, right?

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June 24, 2014

When I went to visit my third graders a few weeks ago, they kept asking me to sign their yearbooks. I usually try to write more personalized messages for my students, but it had been over half a year since I last taught them, so it was hard to come up with something meaningful. Which is why I fell back to good ‘ol middle school-lazy H.A.G.S: have a great summer!

Recipes for summer! Have a great one!

One of the great things about teaching kids is that you get to be the first to introduce them to a lot of things, like the solar system and fractions and onomatopœias and… silly yearbook acronyms.

At first, they read it slowly, confused with my short message:

…Hags…?

“Yep! It stands for Have A Great Summer: HAGS!” I explain, pointing to each letter as I huff my H, Tony-the-Tiger my Gr-, and ssssnake my S.

“Oh… HAGS! HAHAHHAHA!! I GET IT! HAGS! Look, Diana, HAGS! Have. A. Great. Summer!” the child would cry out in delight, showing anyone in a five foot radius, “LOOK! Mark! Look! HAGS! HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!”

Again and again and again.

They crack me up. Aw I miss those little buggers!

Well, I DO hope that everyone Has A Great Summer! Summer officially began this past weekend on June 21, although in my head, summer starts at the end of May… or at least by the time school gets out.

Or maybe in my head, summer is in February, because apparently that’s when I started posting summery recipes like ice creams and berry tarts. Anyway I figure most people who come by this blog have not made it that far back in my post history, so I’m taking the liberty of re-sharing four of my favorite summertime recipes with you!

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June 22, 2014

Chicken Carbonara RecipeOne of my favorite little restaurants in college served up a rich and creamy pasta dish called The Godfather’s Favorite. It was also my favorite. And probably lots of other people’s favorites. Perhaps it will be one of your favorites, too! I’m posting this recipe here at the request of, coincidentally, my goddaughter’s mom! Ooh. I just thought of a really clever name for my version of this recipe. Heh heh. I bet you’ve guessed it already…

Since I rarely make the trek back up to my alma mater, I had to figure out how to make this myself. Thanks to the Internet, I was able to experiment a bit and put together something really, really close. Warning: this dish is not healthy. Make it when you’re going to have a bunch of younguns over who are not yet concerned about their cholesterol, carb, or fat intake. Pair it with a side salad to make yourself feel a little better about it. But do make it. It’s creamy, tasty, and deeeeelicious!

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June 19, 2014

Amazing Mango Pudding RecipeMy Auntie K has been a major supporter of my sweet tooth since I was young, and has been spoiling me with baking supplies from Williams Sonoma since I was a kid. I attribute much of my love of baking to her, and think of her fondly whenever I use my stand mixer, melamine mixing bowls, ice cream containers, and most recently, a second ice cream maker attachment!

Yes, this means I think of her a lot. Thank you, Auntie K!

She also cooks like a boss. Seriously, what more could you ask for in an aunt?? I always look forward to meals at her home, because not only do I get to spend time with my family, but I know there will always be something tasty and delicious served up.

A few years ago, she made this amazing mango pudding. My husband went crazy for it, so I had to ask for the recipe. Happily, she’s the kind of lady who says things like, “Absolutely, recipes are meant to be shared and enjoyed!” So when friend after friend kept asking me for this recipe, I was happy to oblige.

Make delicious Mango Pudding!

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June 16, 2014

Delicious Panko Crusted Salmon RecipeWe love eating salmon in this house. Good thing, too, because it’s always listed as one of those super healthy foods full of omega-3’s. I still don’t really get what omega-3’s are, but I know they’re good for you, so that’s reason enough for me! If you want to learn more about omega-3’s and everything salmon, check out this article here that is packed with great info!

We enjoy our salmon many ways: raw (sashimi!), seasoned and baked with garlic salt, garlic and lemon, and salt and peppered with garlic, dill, and dabs of butter. Lately, I’ve had a crush on a recipe from Ina: panko-crusted salmon! Mmmm. This one stands out because of the crunchiness. Yes, I love crunchy things. This one is a twofer: you get the crunchiness from the tasty panko topping, and the savory, mouth-watering crunch of pan-fried salmon skin on the bottom.

crunch salmon skin mm

YUM.

I feel so fancy when I make this. I mean, panko, salmon, lemon, parsley, and dijon mustard? Doesn’t that just sound like an amazing combination to you? Yet it’s really easy to prepare. You just brush some mustard onto salmon fillets, top with a panko mixture, pan-fry on one side, then finish it off in the oven. It’s some seriously simple cooking that yields impressively tasty results. Ina’s timing for cooking salmon has always been just right for me, so I would follow the instructions to the minute.

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June 14, 2014

 refreshing watermelon juice

Have you ever been in China in the heat of summer?

It is insanely hot. And humid. Like, I walk outside and my shirt begins sticking to me in a matter of seconds. The kinda humid that makes you want to stay in the shopping mall just to avoid the icky sticky humid air that awaits outside. The kinda hot that leaves you constantly searching for the next cool, refreshing drink you can find to indulge in.

Like watermelon juice.

Mmm-mmm watermelon juice! Chilled fresh watermelon juice. This stuff tasted like the nectar of the gods. I would get excited from the moment I put my damp palms around the cool cup, wet with condensation. I always finished it too quickly, but luckily it was fairly inexpensive there. In the states, I see the same small-sized cups of the stuff going for $4! Seriously? I could buy a whole, big watermelon for $4 and make eight cups of it!

So I did.

Nothin’ like a cold glass of watermelon juice for a hot summer day!

watermelon juice that is like july fourth in your mouth!

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June 12, 2014

authentic taiwan milk tea recipe

Raise your hand if you are addicted to milk tea.

Yes, I see you. And you, and you. For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, I’m not sure if you should: It’s very habit-forming, and can be pretty expensive to go out and buy. When I was ten, I remember a D.A.R.E. officer telling us that some people were so addicted to cigarettes that they would would smoke a pack a day, and at $3.50/pack, that came out to over a thousand dollars a year! My jaw dropped. A THOUSAND BUCKS TO KILL YOURSELF?!

Well, my boba-loving friends, sometimes I wonder if we’re in the same boat. Instead of cigarettes, it’s milk tea… and instead of cancer, it’s diabetes or obesity or something. But the $3.50 price tag sounds about right, and I’m willing to bet there are some of you who, if you really thought about it, guzzle down this frothy liquid almost daily. Some of you even get it twice in a day sometimes:once after lunch, and again that evening when a friend texts to see if you’re free. Oh… well… for the sake of hanging out. Yes, yes. I suppose I will have to just get another one… *giddy laughter inside*.

How did I know about that? Yes, it’s me too.

This is how I came to realize that I was addicted to milk tea. Now, addressing the addiction is probably the heart of the matter, but I’m not ready for that yet, so until then, I will merely search for a way to minimize the cost of it: MAKE IT YOSELF!authentic taiwan milk tea

I’ve tried, JoEllen, I’ve tried! It’s just not the same. It doesn’t taste as good.

Yes, I hear you. I, too, have been trying for the last 15 years to nail down the perfect milk tea recipe myself, to little avail. As the options of milk tea shops keep expanding, so my milk tea taste buds keep getting refined. I have never been able to make a satisfying cup of milk tea to adequately stave off the next milk tea run… until now.

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June 9, 2014

easy mint chip ice cream recipe

I know I always say this. But it’s true: this is hubby’s fav.

I’ve made so many ice creams– green tea, earl grey, strawberry sour cream, dark chocolate, mocha, salted caramel, coffee, vanilla bean, vanilla bean with roasted berries and streusel (brilliant, Lauren!), vietnamese coffee, honey lavender, blueberry creme fraiche, and… the list goes on. Sometimes, I will spend a whole evening creating a mess in the kitchen and proudly present my creamy creation to my husband: “TRY THIS.”

He obliges.

The house will smell of burnt sugar (when I missed the three millisecond window of perfection on my first batch of caramel for salted caramel ice cream) and the sink will be overflowing with more dishes than two pints should account for, and I will eagerly await his reaction… (DOYOULOVEIT?!?)

Hubby: Mm… it’s not bad.

Me:

Hubby: I like your mint chip better.

Me: (Deflated.)

deflated

But only for a moment, as I consider how this is probably a good thing.

hmm...

Do I really want my husband to love the ice cream that takes 20 dishes and 2 hours to make, or the one that takes one bowl and three minutes to stir together?

Exactly.

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June 7, 2014

This looked like one of those ideas that would sound good in my head but maybe not actually taste that great in real life:

Bloomin Onion Garlic Bread

Yeah… nope. It was good.

I saw it here, but… is it just me, or is there no recipe there?

I mean, the pictures are pretty self-explanatory, but I know I used to be heavily recipe-dependent, so if you’d like a recipe to follow along with, I’ve approximated what I did to make mine! It’s pretty finger-lickin’ delicious.

This would be a great side for a bbq this summer– if you’re gonna get your hands dirty anyway, might as well! It makes for a fun presentation if you’re having friends over, and who can resist some savory garlic bread? Yum!

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June 5, 2014

How to Shape Childrens Behavior
Several years ago, I was asked to give a talk to Sunday School teachers at church on how to discipline children. My first thought was that I didn’t want to talk about disciplining children. Disciplining children implies that they’re misbehaving, but misbehaviors can be caused by a lot of things, not the least of which is the teacher’s inability to teach well. (I’m pretty sure I could talk for hours on that topic alone, but I’ll save it for another time.) Sure, every child has their weak moments, but there is a whole lot that a teacher can do to help students compose themselves respectfully and responsibly.

I find that the smoothest path involves anticipating and preventing misbehavior in the first place. If that ship has sailed, though, this is the next one you want to get on. Sometimes children come in with certain habits and behaviors and you need to proactively help them to work them out. Maybe it’s a girl who throws a tantrum every time something doesn’t go her way, or a child who has a habit of talking back. Perhaps it’s a small but persistent matter, such as getting a boy to tuck in his chair or keep his desk area tidy.

As a teacher, it can mean training your entire class to execute various procedures well, such as walking to and from the carpet area quickly, quietly, and ready to focus as soon as the transition is complete. I’ve worked with children on all of these and more, and have found that our success generally depended on my consistent execution of a few key skills. Yes, my execution. It’s not completely up to the child to improve himself. You can’t just tell a kid to “be better” or “stop doing that” and always expect her to know how to do it. You need to actively work with them to shape their behavior and help them grow as individuals.

In a series of posts, I have shared some of my experiences in shaping children’s behavior. Big or small, whole class or individual, there were a few key patterns that began to emerge in my behavior-shaping process. I constantly fine-tuned it over the years, and grew increasingly confident of my ability to effect positive change in children.

True, I have not actually shaped the behavior of my own children yet, but I really think that all these years as a teacher have given me a leg up to that end. Actually, one of the biggest reasons I wanted to be a teacher was to garner experience and wisdom from my career in order to enhance my effectiveness as a parent. So here’s a glimpse of what I have learned, for all you parents out there who didn’t get to spend eight years working with hundreds of kids before having your own. I hope to share some of the highlights of what I’ve learned over the years with you so that it may benefit you as you parent and teach children.

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