Kleiner Cookies...

I want to start with a disclaimer right from the start... I LOVE Rasmussens!!! But, Kleiner cookies, not so much. I will try to give an unbiased report of the event, however, don't be mad at me if some opinion seeps through. Remember, you love me, too.

It all starts at Grandma's house. We arrive 6:20ish and the girls immediately start helping Grandpa shell the spice, can't remember exactly which one, and watched with rapt attention as he crushed it.

The official pose of said spice crushing.Grandma's at the stove making fudge, for Dirk. A whole pan of fudge for Dirk. Susan said he can take it to the office instead of leaving it home with her all day. :)
Melissa has mad-stirring skills, even when she's upside down. Rachel Ray, we dare you!
Close up!
In true Rasmussen fashion, kids are on the counter to get a good view of the goings-on.
We took a quick break to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Melissa gave us a FHE lesson on Nephi building the ship. Paul, where's the picture you took?
The Kleiner Expert, Grandpa, gave lessons & supervised the folding.
Melissa is a very hands on girl & likes to start trying to do it right away.
Here's the special cut of the dough.
Folded, pre-fried.
Dirk decided he needed to learn how to make caramels. Grandma digs out the recipe while he makes a face for me. I love this face! I love it when I see some of his fun personality.
Susan & I bonded over our opinion of these holiday cookies, and the other goodies that were made. That's all I'll say!
Jacob's new hobby is opening the microwave, putting a cup in, closing the microwave, & repeating! Jennifer wasn't really cooperating.
Now it's time to fry the Kleiner, can you tell it's getting harder to keep my unbiased tone? Carl told Paul to put half a large carton of Crisco in the wok and melt it. Paul made this grin for me, he could see my eye starting to sort of twitch.
Dirk delighted in my twitching. He grinned, "Pure fat, pure sugar!" They sure are cute boys!
Grandpa came over to give Paul a lesson on frying... the cookies were comin' out a bit too dark.
This is where my favorite part of the night began... Paul & Dirk start a healthy banter of smack-talk.
The conversation even turned to who is hotter...
I love Dirk's expression!
Good family times together!
the finished project
This year Paul & Grandma decided they would dip Kleiner in chocolate. Carl forbid it, but that didn't really work. Sorry, Grandpa.

It was an awesome night together. I have to say, you Rasmussens are the dream family to marry in to. But that is another post altogether.
Can't wait til we're together,
Love, Caryn

Trip to the Hong Kong City Mall

Yesterday I took a trip to the Hong Kong City Mall to do some Christmas shopping on my way to see Isaac's "Hip Hop" Boys Dance Class. (It was amazing by the way, they dance to "The Boys are Back")

Whenever we go to the Hong Kong City Market, we try to buy a couple of new things to try. We've had some doozies. Yesterday, I bought this "dragon fruit." It was on the expensive side, but it was so beautiful. They would look amazing in a fruit arrangment. And I was very curious how it would taste.

So tonight, for dinner, we had Lemon Chicken (wish you were here Julie), chicken ricearoni, pomegranite, papaya, and dragon fruit. I also got the papaya at the asian market. I already had the pomegranite.

Helen taught me the easy no mess way to get the seeds out of the pomegranite. You fill up a bowl with cold water. Then hold the quartered pomegranite in the water while you release the seeds. The juice doesn't squirt all over and the paper stuff floats to the top. Just skim off the paper stuff, and strain. Stores well in frig.

Here is the recipe for Lemon Chicken

Sauce:

Make before you start frying:

In saucepan, combine:

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tb margaine

1 1/2 Tb cornstarch

zest all the peel off the lemon you are using

1lemon juiced

speck of yellow food coloring. Best if you use "egg drop soup" coloring from asian market, makes the color look just right. I have a 100 year supply if you want to borrow some.

Heat and stir until comes to a boil and thickens.

Chicken:

2 chicken breasts, Cut in 1 inch cubes or strips

In Bowl #1:

1 cup crushed ice water

1 egg

(mix)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour

(mix, lumpy)

spring another 1/4 cup flour on top of batter

In Bowl #2

1/2 cup flour

Heat oil in small wok or other pan, several inches, enough to deep fry

Roll chicken in plain flour, then dip in batter and let drip. Put in oil and fry. Flip, stays pretty light. Eat with sauce. MMM

PS... dragon fruit tastes a lot like a kiwi. A little milder in flavor. Very refreshing

Half way into removing our asian jasmine

The completed project

slowly invading beyond the fence into the grass

If your sins are like asian jasmine, repent now...

About five years ago, our back fence neighbor planted asian jasmine along his back fence. This is the indestructible vine/hedge that they plant around the greenbelt entrances here in Kingwood. It wasn't long before the vine was creeping through into our yard. So, for five years one of the things on my "to do" list was to get rid of the vine. I made several "round up" attempts over the years. I just could not understand why it did not die.

Well...after a visit to the nursery I discovered that round up does not phrase this plant. It may weaken it if you spray on a really hot day and add dish detergent. But the only way to really get rid of it is to pull it out, then cover the area with black plastic for a length of time.

My neighbor who originally planted it has done the "pull out and cover it thing" about a year ago. But of course, by now, it had intruded into our yard and the other neighbor next to him and also behind us. Nevertheless, this month has been kill the vine time. Finally today, I was able to finish pulling out the vine and covering the ground with plastic. It has not been terribly fun. Thus...if your sins are like asian jasmine....don't procrastinate...getting rid of them is only going to be more laboureous the longer you wait.

Dupuytren's Contracture

Carl (January 22, 2010). It is one week after surgery, and he is just heading in to see the doctor and have the bandaging removed. Bandaging was partially a hard cast and was to remain on undisturbed for one week.




Just leaving the doctor's office after the bandaging has been removed. Dissolving stitches still in place.










Both hands together. Left hand was the recent surgery










This is Carl's right hand. You can see where he has had surgery before.






Here is Carl trying to lay his right hand flat on the table. Notice the "pinky" finger does not go flat. This is due to scar tissue in the joint from previous surguries and some newly forming dupuytrens.

Here is Carl's (newly operated) left hand. Look how flat he can get it on the table.

At night, Carl is suppose to wear this partial hard cast to keep scar tissue from forming in the joint while the fingers heal and causing the problem he has in his right hand. It is NOT comfortable apparently.

There is lots of information on the net about Dupuytren's. It is a genetic disorder that impacts the hand, mostly in men.