Apologies for it going all silent there for a bit.  This making a baby thing is kind of time consuming.  Just thought I’d let you in on the good news.

Here, I’ll show you.

Tasty looking, eh?  Want to make some?  Here’s what I did.

Simple Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot
• 2 – 3 large cabbage leaves
• bean threads
• shrimp
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (separated)
• 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (fresh squeezed)
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Start by soaking the bean threads in hot water (out of the tap) for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile…

In a pot, boil 1 tablespoon soy sauce and enough water to hold about 2 handfuls of the bean threads (mine came in a bag of 8 little packages, I used 2).

While the water is coming to boil, use a peeler to peel your carrot into ribbons (munch on the core while you keep cooking).

Chop the cabbage leaves into small pieces.  Cook in hot water until they turn bright green and just start to soften.  Drain

When the water has come to a boil, cook your shrimp.  (I used pre-cooked, frozen, tail off shrimp, so I just used it to reheat mine.)  DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER!  Just fish your shrimp out and let cool.

Drain the bean threads from the plain water and add them to water the shrimp came out of.  Let that boil for 3 – 5 minutes.  Drain.

Mix the rest of the soy sauce with the Sambal Oelek, sugar, and lime juice.  Add the bean threads to the sauce mixture and let it soak it up.

Chop up the shrimp into little pieces.

Assemble your spring rolls one at a time.  Don’t over soak your rice papers or they will be hard to work with.  I soaked mine about 10 seconds in hot tap water and then assembled like a burrito (ingredients on one end, roll over, fold over both ends, and continue to roll).

A Few Notes:

If you are unsure how to assemble spring rolls (or burritos for that matter), do a search on youtube and you’ll get the basic idea.

These are just as tasty hot or cold, just give the rice paper about 2 minutes to set up in roll form before consuming.  Assemble just before eating of they will not be good eats.

I used these rice papers, these bean threads, and this Sambal Oelek, but do yourself a favor and buy them locally.  If your favorite Asian section doesn’t have them, find a local Asian market.  All told, my bean threads and rice papers cost under $5 and came from my normal grocery store.  The Sambal Oelek I got at an Asian market for around $3.

Sambal Oelek can be a little hot if you’re not used to spicy.  You can totally cut it down if you’re worried.  Start with a teaspoon and work your way up.

I didn’t make dipping sauce for mine, but if you feel it necessary, Alton has a good recipe here.

These are fantastic when served with Jasmine Oolong tea.  Just sayin’…

Tummy rubs and all.  You understand.

First up is the Willamette Scarf I’m working on.

Yarn is String Theory Caper Sock in Earthquake.  I’m nearly finished with the increases.  This is my purse knitting and part of the Stumptown Knits club that I talked about here.

Next up is Liisa‘s Hanukah/NewYear/Birthday sweater.

It’s the Yogini Bolero from by Wendy Bernard.  I’m knitting it in Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool in color 113 Smokey Black. I’m to the part where she needs to try it on for length before I continue.  There’s a lot of “at the same time” in the beginning of this sweater, but otherwise it’s a quick and pleasant knit.

Finally, I’m working on a new sweater for the husband.  He requested a Dude Sweater.

It’s simply 16 rows of ribbing right now, but it will grow quickly. It’s knit in Cascade Yarns Eco Wool (just like his last sweater) and he’s already excited.  I’ve promised this one will take less than 2 years to complete.  (My goal is to get it done while it’s still cold enough to wear.)

I have a few other projects going for classes I’m taking at the shoppe, but they’re not far enough along yet to take photos.  Perhaps next week…

I was attempting to work on a new version of that brochure and she kept laying on top of it or getting in front of it so I couldn’t see the information I needed.  I think she wanted snuggles to make up for the traumatizing experience she endured earlier of getting her toenails clipped and being brushed.  We attempted to trim Nanook’s toenails, but about 3 claws in and she was growling, spitting, and biting.  I may have to take her to the vet and have it done there.  (Last time, it took the vet, 2 techs, and myself to do her claws…)

At some point I’ll show you actual yarn content.  I’ve got several things on the needles in various stages of completion.  January startitis is in full swing, but I’m trying to keep it under control. (HAH!)

I am obeying the inscrutable exhortations of my inner-most soul, and my mandate also includes crocodiles.

- Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry

I’ve been subscribing to the In Search of Finer Fruits blog lately and really loving the stuff she’s putting up.  The quote I found while locating the mailing address of the Venom Doc for my nephew to write a letter (because he can’t hop a plane and go visit him in person).  The two seem to really go together.  If you go read the blog, you’ll understand why.

P.S. I kind of want my mandate to include crocodiles, too.

See?

I planted it last October or November (I don’t really remember exactly) and most of the little bulbs now have beautiful green shoots.  Even the one I planted upside down managed to find it’s way to the sun (I righted it today so it has a fighting chance).  Combine that with the beautiful blue sky that is out today, and things are looking up.  

(Watch, there will be a huge storm this week just to remind me that it’s still winter…)

(Yes, I’m a big nerd.  But at least I’m trying to be an organized one!)

Ready for this?

Tada!

(click to embiggen)

Sure, it doesn’t look like much, but it tells me a lot.  First of all, the planting will all be done before the baby arrives (yay!) and secondly, I learned a few things from Grow Great Grub that I didn’t know.  For example, carrots like to be planted with tomatoes, onions, peas, and lettuce, but not dill or parsnips.  That means I can sow carrots in nearly every planter and raised bed I have.  Pretty awesome, eh?

The next step is to figure out where everything goes.  Armed with the extra knowledge of what plants don’t like to play together, I can start planning it out.  Both of my raised beds are partial shade due to the buildings they are up against.  The shed bed gets morning sun/afternoon shade and the house bed gets morning/afternoon sun with evening shade.  The potato planters are getting shifted and placed closer to the other beds in a place they will get morning sun.  The tomatoes will be trying this year out in the house bed with green beans and edamame behind, lettuce and carrots in front.  The shed bed will continue to have garlic and onions with snap peas behind, lettuce and carrots in front.  Cucumber and zucchinis will be placed in pots and trellised upwards.  (I have 4 large ones from Costco that will do nicely)  Those pots will be spread about in places that get the appropriate lighting and where I don’t have to mow around them.  The herbs will be put in pots small enough that I can bring indoors when it gets too warm.

(click to embiggen)

That’s the plan for now.  I’d love feedback or advice from more seasoned gardeners.  It’s a fairly small garden, but I want it to be manageable and filled with the foods we like to eat.  After all, what’s the point of a garden if you don’t eat what comes out of it?

It’s about gardening.

(Don’t faint.)

Seeing as we are now one week into the new year, I thought it prudent to pull out my trusty (but not nearly used enough) garden guide.

This month it says to plan the garden.  Well, alrighty then.

I’ve already got garlic and onions planted and possibly sprouting.  (Is it too early?  Are those weeds?) But now I need to plan the rest of our food for the year.  As always there will be tomatoes and cucumbers.  I’m also planning to try for potatoes again.  Shelling peas are generally successful, but snap peas and green beans are yummier.  Lettuce always does well, but I forget to harvest it.  (I have been eating a lot more salad lately, so I think I’ll plant it anyway.)  Carrots are definitely in and I think I’ll try for some zucchini as well. Basil will happen indoors as well as maybe some dill and cilantro.

I think that will be the extent of my small garden.  I lost two beds last year and gained one, so my garden size is a bit diminished.  I think if I go any crazier, we’ll have to plant the garden in the lawn.

Things I wont be growing this year:

• Corn – It requires too much room and I can get it from a local farm on the cheap.
• Melons – When they’re in season are buy one, get one at the local farm stand.
• Strawberries – The stand down the road picks them out back and sells them up front.
• Peppers – I give up.  I’ll buy them from the farmers market.

What do you think?  Too ambitious?

(Now what did I do with my seeds from last year…?)