Momza's (So Easy) Spring Rolls

You want easy, fresh and yummy?

Easy Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 head cabbage

3 stalks celery

 5 carrots

8oz. fresh mushrooms

salt

vegetable/canola oil

Rice Stix

Spring Roll Wrappers

Fresh Mint

Asian condiments

 

brown chicken breasts with a little salt

 Gather your veggies, wash them.
This is the easy part:
Get out your food processor,
use the long blade cutting edge:

 Cut cabbage in half, then in 1/4s

 Feed into food processor, along with mushrooms and celery

 Then flip the cutting edge over for the grated side:

 Shred carrots

 Finish browning the chicken:

 Remove cutting edge and put in centerblade for food processing:

 Cut chicken into chunks, and hit HI for a couple of seconds until chicken looks shredded:

 Mix veggies into large fryer or wok:

 Toss until mixed and cook until a little soft

 Add cooked chicken:

 Now get out fresh mint leaves;

 And Rice stix and Rice Spring Roll Skins:

If you want, you can soak a handful of rice stix in hot water for a few minutes until it resembles pasta:

 Get out your asian condiments: soy sauce, plum sauce, peanut sauce, red chili sauce:

 To cook Rice Stix:
Put a little canola oil into a frying pan,
heat it up, as directed,
and carefully lay the rice stix in the hot oil,
it will cook super fast...like 3 seconds!
Remove it and place on plate.

 Get out your rice wrappers:

 Lay in a pie dish filled 1/2 with water for about a minute,
until very soft and pliable:

 This one isn't ready, just about another minute:

 Spread it on a plate,
add noodles if you want:

 Add chicken-veggie mixture

 Top with mint leaves;

Roll like a burrito and enjoy!
p.s. there was too much food inside of this wrapper to roll into a small spring roll, so cut the amount to about half of what you see pictured...THEN, roll it and dip it!

My People Are Your People, Too

This has been a rough week 
for my people,
Americans.

Our hearts jumped to our throats
when we saw the Boston Marathon bombings...
how could this happen again?
we ask our selves.

How has this affected my family?
Well, we never turned on the main floor TV this week
with the news channels that are covering the events
in Boston.
I don't want my kids to deal with this terror...
it's just too much.
Kent and I watched a bit here and there this week,
but even then,
didn't want to know every minute detail of the investigation.
The images alone are too powerful to dwell on...
my people in Boston are your people too,
and when our people hurt,
we hurt.

This morning I woke to the fertilizer explosion in West, Texas.
Not only is the plant obliterated,
but the neighborhood that surrounded it.
Our people in West, Texas are hurting this morning.
So much pain.

Every morning I wake up wondering if Korea has fired a nuclear missile off yet...
I have people in Japan.
You have people there too.
We heard that Norad was a long-range goal of Korea's targets...
I can see it from where I'm sitting.

What makes our country a great one,
isn't our politicians--
it is the resolute, strong citizens--
Our People--
the ones who carry the burden of care
on their shoulders--
the medically-trained, 
the firefighters,
the ones who rush into the bomb-scene
instead of away from it,
the men and women who run into burning buildings
and believe they can make a difference.
It's our teachers who don't "clock out" 
when the school bell rings.


So many good, loving people in our country
that inspire me to be better.

Our people are hurting.
Prayers and Love for my people in Boston,
for my people in Texas...
my heart is yours today.

"There is nothing wrong with America 

that cannot be cured by 

what is right with America."

Easy Sopapillas!

 All right so who doesn't love homemade sopapillas?

This is an easy and yummy treat.

Ingredients:

Quaker Tortilla Mix

Milk

Oil 

Powdered Sugar

Follow the directions on the package of mix;

2 c mix + 1/2 c milk

Mix until it forms a ball.

 Now the secret to success is the temperature of the oil: 400o.

Use a thermometer. Don't guess.

 Put the oil in the pan of your choosing--I use my trusty wok.

 Dust the counter with flour.

 That's my dough ball.

 Cover it in the bowl for 20-30 minutes.  

(I've left it longer and even refrigerated it overnight bc I ran out of time to make them--

so just let the dough sit out until room temp. and continue on as directed.)

Take out the dough and knead it for 5 times on the floured surface.

Cut it in 1/2...makes it easier to manage.

Put the other 1/2 back in the bowl & cover to keep from drying out.

 Roll it out into a thin square, then cut the uneven edges off. I use my pizza cutter.

 These are about 1/8" thick.

 Once the oil is 400o slide one of the squares into it, gently. 

DO NOT DROP IN--AVOID SPLATTER. 

It will truly burn you. 

ALSO: Make sure children are not near you while doing this,

or any other distraction.

 Using a slotted spoon or tongs, turn each sopapilla over once...

they cook very quickly--in just seconds, really. 

So only work with a couple at a time.

How to tell when to turn: It will "puff up" when it's ready to be turned.  

Some puff up more than others, so don't cook longer than a few seconds for each one.

When finished layer on a napkin/paper towel covered plate and top with powdered sugar if desired.

Yum!

Make the 2nd batch the same way.  Check the temp of the oil to make sure it's not too hot. If it is, just turn down the heat level while you roll out the dough.  It should cool off in that time and be just right or thereabouts.

*Don't forget to put the hot pan of oil on the back burner of your stove until it cools before you dispose of it. And do not put it down your sink.

Enjoy!

What My Children Know About Faith

"Hey, Momza..." I hear on the other end of the phone.
It's my oldest son calling long distance from Boise.
"Hey Buddy! How are you?" I reply.
"You sure? You sound sick.", concern in his voice.
"Yeah; just a cold. I sound worse than I feel, really." I say through a stuffed-up nose and rattling voice.
"Oh okay, well you sound terrible." he laughs then continues...
"So, I'm calling you to tell you about something going on with Tish and me--got a minute?"

So he fills me in on an opportunity he and his wife were presented with--
it sounds like a blessing if they get it, he tells me.
I agree with him. It really does.
"So, Tish and I are really praying for this, Mom. We're fasting too. We're wondering
if you'd pray for us too?"

****

Easter Evening, sitting at the dinner table
we go around sharing our nightly answers
to the same questions:
*Best part of your day?
*Something you learned?
*Something you did for someone else?
After that, I told the children I had one more question for them:

"What have I taught you about Jesus Christ?"

Ari piped up, arm raised: "That He listens to your prayers."
"Anything else?" I asked.
Joseph added, "Jesus always answers your prayers. Like, ALWAYS." he smiles.
"That it?" I prodded.
"Hmmm, yeah that should do it for today." he said.
Ari nodding, "That's the most important thing to know, right?"
****

Hi Mom,
I figured I'd best write you a note & let you know how very grateful I am for the decisions you've made throughout your life & mine. Because of your morals, ethics & ability to love and look for truth, I get to be here. I get to walk the grounds that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, Moroni, and Joseph Smith have been in. Every day I get to testify of small moments in time that changed the history of the world, that made it possible for us to live in blissful happiness with our families and Heavenly Father for eternity.  Thank you. Thank you for your testimony, thank you for holding onto me while I was pulling away.  As Joseph Smith said to his mother in returning from the grove; I too can say, "All is well, I have learned for myself."  I love you ~Nana
*****

"Mom!" Dara shouts as she runs upstairs to find me.
"Up here!" I shout from the loft office.
"Mom! I got IN! I got IN!---" she says breathless.
Waving her acceptance letter from the college she applied to--
tears just start dropping like confetti from heaven.
"I prayed SO hard. I can't believe it!!"
"Me too. Me too. Oh I am so happy for you, Day!"
*****

HI Mom, 
I finally got your cards this week. I absolutely loved the leaves from the front yard! Also the blueberry skies card, literally made me laugh out loud. Thank you for making this week less sucky. Today is the 12th and I'm still currently sick. No voice, been running a fever & finally puked my guts out last night.  I can't say I saw this trial coming.  But I've had alot of time to study and think. lately I just list things I'm grateful for. Today I am grateful for you again. I woke up missing you so I sprayed some of the Sunflower perfume on & have been thinking of you alot.  I'm not quite sure how you've made it this far in life & are as happy, loving, serving & sane as you are.  Life is hard.  I've been reading the Book of Mormon for hours upon end lately, when I got to King Benjamin this time I couldn't help but love & adore his goodness because you love & adore his goodness. Every word he speaks is filled with an immense love for his people. He just loves.  I can't wait to meet him, for now I hope to be able to emulate the love he has for his people & serve the people here as well as he served his people back then. 
I'm grateful for a mom that sees needs in others & steps up to serve them....you've raised service-oriented children & I'm grateful.  Apparently not all mom are like you, it's odd to see how many opportunities are missed by other sisters to serve merely because they don't know how. Your example has made an impression and a difference.  On another note, the leaves are changing here. There are trees that are the brightest natural red I've ever seen. Some have this firey orange with pink tints. I swear some of the trees don't even look real.  It's beautiful Mom, just beautiful. I cannot wait for you to see it. I really have no room to complain.  I'm so very blessed to have an opportunity to serve the Lord and His people, to love & be loved by those I serve with & around, and to have a mother as wonderful as you.  You are amazing.  I love you.  ~Nana

****

And Riley begat Zuri

Remember Riley?
We adopted him in July 2011--
so happy to bring him into the family
and hoped he'd be a fun playmate for our black lab, Dakota--
aka "Oprah" or "Miss-I-don't-know-you-people-when-I'm-outside".

He had superb manners,
but man alive,
we couldn't keep him in the yard--
he ate through several wooden fence slats
trying to get out in the world to meet up with some gals.

He was definitely a "rover"--
we worried that he was going to get run over by a car
after finding him roaming the neighborhood
more than once.

Last May I made the executive decision--
which I shared in this post--
to find Riley a safer home out in the country.--
and Riley has been happily living out his dreams
at his new home.

We made the deal with the new owner, Bailey,
at the time,
that we'd give Riley to her in exchange for a pup
he would sire with her AKC British cream female, Duchess.

I got a text in early Fall that Duchess was pregnant.
Then in January when the pups were born,
she sent a picture to my email...
the litter of 3 males and 1 female were little cream puffs--
Bailey let us know that the other pups in the litter
sold for $1200 each.
Never, ever would I pay that much for a dog--
the kids bought Riley for $80 with their allowance money.

Finally on Friday, March 1st
we all piled in the car and took the 2 hour road trip
to pick up our puppy--
we let the yahoos take the day off of school
so they could go with us:

Reunited with Riley:

Giving mama Duchess the gift of a pig's ear for being so sweet:

Daisie and Ari lovin' on the new girl:

At home after the long car ride:

 So this is Zuri--our $1200-valued dog
we got for 80 bucks!

She is already crate-trained, teases Dakota 24/7, growing like a weed, and has stolen our hearts.

p.s. Bailey expressed how much Riley is her "main man" and constant companion. He sleeps in the bed with her and her husband when he is not "doin' his business" with the females in heat. They are so breeding him with a standard poodle to create "Goldendoodles".

They Make Me Laugh

This past week our family got to host a couple of comedians
from BYU's Humor U--
Aaron Woodall and Pete Kern.

We know Aaron from when we lived in Idaho--
our son David Scott introduced him to us.
They hung out alot before Aaron left for his mission to Italy.

I actually worked with his mom at the elementary school
and so when she posted on her facebook that Aaron had won
a place in a comedy competition called
"The World Series of Comedy"
taking place here in Colorado Springs,
we offered to have him stay here.

He brought Pete with him,
who had also been invited to compete.

These guys are super polite and we enjoyed having them in our home this week.

For your entertainment:

Aaron Woodall:


Pete Kern:


  

Keep an eye out for these guys!

The Burn of Divorce & Heavenly Healing

This pretty much symbolizes
what it's like
when my children have gone to visit
their mostly-estranged birth father
and come home...
fiery intense.

They don't see him hardly ever--
in 15 years,
I think the total comes close to maybe 8 times
for the youngest,
less for our special needs son,
who I think is around 3 times total.

The reason isn't as complex--
simply put,
the man isn't interested in having
relationships with five other human beings
whom he has fathered.

The older children don't bother him anymore--
they're busy living their adult lives
and let that part of their past lie dormant;
they discovered
that while normal relationships with those you do love
take much effort,
it is impossible to have one with someone
who consistently makes himself
unavailable.

But Dara was just 20 months old when her dad left
and she's been curious about him
for a few years now.
She would very much like him to be part of her life.
She graduates this year from high school
and, like her four other siblings,
invited him to her graduation ceremony.
He declined.
Not only did he decline that,
but told her not to expect him to show up
for any important days in her life--
as has been evident for the other children.
He doesn't come to baptisms,
graduations,
mission farewells or homecomings,
weddings,
or baby blessings.
(And for the record,
I have written him notes and invited him personally too,
those go unanswered.)

Now this is not out-of-character for him.
It is totally how he was when I was married to him.
In fact,
just before we divorced, we saw a marriage counsellor
who asked me,
"If there was one thing Dave could do to make you reconsider
this divorce, what would that be?"
I said,
"Invest more in the children."
The counselor looked to Dave for a response,
to which he replied,
"The children are irrelevant to me."
Shock swept over the counselor's face;
he turned back to me and he knew what I knew:
I had nothing to lose by divorcing this man.

That was 17 years ago.
Despite Dave's opinion that noone would ever want to marry
me, a thirty-four year old woman with five children,
he was wrong.
He was easily replaced.
God had a plan for me and my children
and we were blessed to have Mr. W come into our lives.

It took awhile for my own emotional wounds to heal,
but they did.
It has taken longer for my children's hearts to heal,
though each of them can see and understand
why we cut Dave loose so many years ago.
He has proven to be exactly the man I knew he was--
there has been no repentance or improvement
in his life's journey.
He didn't learn a doggone thing from losing an entire family.

So, Dara, who just turned 18 this week,
decided spend her own money
and go see her dad and his girlfriend and her half-sister
for Spring Break.
Her siblings' response to her plan
was not a positive one--
"Why does she do this to herself?"
"She needs to let go already."
they voiced.
They're anxious for her to come to the same
resolution they each have come to;
they want her to move forward past him,
and be happy.

But I knew she had to do this.
As she and I discussed her motives for wanting to go down
she explained that this would be her last effort
to get him to want to be part of her life.

She has an optimist's heart.

I've seen this before in all of the other children...
they try so hard to hang onto him
just like I did,
and they each get to the same place emotionally
that I finally got to--
after 14 years of marriage
I had to move on and let him go.
He was damaged beyond my ability to heal.
I felt like a failure.
In my naivete,
I thought if I could just be a better wife
it would be enough for him to be
kind and true to me.
Then, I grew up
and realized that just wasn't going to happen.

Knowing this truth about my self,
I totally get the process my children have to also
experience.
So, when Dara made her plans,
I held my breath and braced for the impact
that was sure to follow
when she came home.

Just as in the past when the kids had gone down to visit
their dad,
their return was akin to a Space Shuttle rocket
re-entering the earth's atmosphere--
it's gonna burn.
Their hearts will be inflamed with pain
and hurt and unrequited love.
Rejection written on their faces
like a fiery angry sadness.
I used to get caught up in their emotions too--
but these many years later,
I think I handle it more objectively...
realizing that the best thing I can do
is to be a sounding board,
a safe place to vent their frustrations,
and not add my own to theirs.
My goal is to help them move forward
in a healthy way--
to get past the burn of helplessness to change him,
and help them have the truer perspective
that none of us can make another person
want to love us or be a part of our lives.
That's just not possible.

So Dara's re-entry was early yesterday morning--
I listened to her grieving for most of the day
and into last night.
She detailed all the many ways
he shut her down, shut her out--
from having no pictures of her and the rest of the kids
in his house or office,
to his rants about why he can't be there for her,
and his ugly opinions of me, her mother,
to the final day where he had his girlfriend
drive Dara to the airport so he could be done
with the visit sooner.

My girl cried sad, sad tears.

It's hard to watch.
It's hard to bear the realization of what
my very poor, ignorant choice of a husband
when I was just 20 years old--
what the fall-out of that choice has done
to five innocents.

The re-entry fire is simmering down
this morning...
at least on the outside.
I suspect her heart is still hot-to-the-touch
today as she goes through the motions
of a day back at school.
How could it not be, right?

For her birthday,
we bought her a pair of
white temple slippers and a white handkerchief--
to remind her of whose daughter she really, truly IS--
and that her path now,
as rocky as it feels,
will lead her to Him.
I sat with her alone while she opened the gifts,
telling her that if she'll ask for divine help
to get through these hard times in her life,
Jesus will be there for her.

And that's the best I could do--
wrap her in my arms,
point her to Christ,
encourage her to let the Atonement lift
her pain and give her peace.
I know this,
because I had to do the same thing--
ask my Savior to help me get through
the chaos of divorce and come out on the other side of it
the person I wanted to be...
it took alot of time,
repentance and prayers of my own,
and a willingness to let the Savior lead me along
in trust and hope.

Just the other day,
my good friends and I went to the temple.
Upon reflection of my prayers in there,
I realized that most of the prayer I offered
was one of gratitude for the blessings I have been given,
and the joys I have in my daily life.
I have loving, faithful children and
an eternal companion in Kent.
These have come through heavenly healing.

*art by Simon Dewey

Dara's Birth on her Birthday

Her due date: 01 April 1995

Being pregnant with numero cinco

proved to be less easy than

say numero quatro.

For one thing,

it had been four years between

and I was older and tired.

But I was still very much excited to have another sweet baby 

in my arms again.

I had been wanting another baby for some time.

Just the previous year,

in exactly the same month,

I had a miscarriage at sixteen weeks.

So that I became pregnant again so soon

after the miscarriage,

was an absolute joy for me.

We decided to have a home birth

with Pamela White in Phoenix, Arizona.

She is a wonderful midwife and was just perfect for me.

So, because of a spiritual experience I had had

several years earlier,

I was expecting a Boy.

But Pam suggested it might be a girl

based on the faster heartbeat at one of our prenatal visits.

My heart though,

was set on a boy.

I even had his name chosen:

Drew Kellen.

As March 31st drew close,

I was bent on having this baby on his due date

April 1st.

So I did everything I could to bring on labor--

ate mexican food,

chinese food,

drank my raspberry leaf tea,

used evening primrose oil,

and kept busy!

I walked and walked and walked

most of the day

on April Fool's Day

and finally, exhausted,

plopped my big baby tummy into bed

for the night at 9pm

convinced that a baby was not coming

any time soon.

I put a towel on top of my sheets

just in case though...

I was in a deep sleep

when I felt a "pop" down below

with a warm flow of water

following.

I sat upright in the bed,

knowing my water broke

and looked at the clock across the room:

11:59pm!

April Fools! 

The baby was coming!

I noticed my husband wasn't in bed next to me,

and as usual,

he was out in the familyroom watching TV

or had fallen asleep on the sofa--

I called to him for help

but he couldn't hear me.

For fear of waking the other sleeping children,

I took the towel with me,

and headed towards the hallway

so I could, albeit, quietly, yell

for him to get his attention.

That worked, thankfully

and he made the call to Pam

so she could make her way to the house.

She contacted her assistant, Kelli,

and they both showed up at the house

around the same time.

But, the bad thing was that I wasn't contracting.

So Pam told me to go back to bed

and try to rest up for a long day ahead.

I did go back to bed,

but I really couldn't sleep--

I was excited to the MAX!

My adrenalin was pumping and I was so stinkin' happy

to be having this baby!

A few hours later,

we all got up,

had some breakfast--

husband made us homemade waffles and strawberries--

and the weather was so nice,

I walked around the backyard 

as the contraction waves began to come along.

I will always always remember the fragrance of

orange blossoms in the backyard that day.

Such a sunny happy day.

The other kids had been taken over to the MIL's house

for the duration of labor

with the hope that they could return in time to see

the birth.

So I labored alllllllll dayyyyyy long

and wasn't in alot of pain really.

But I was getting tired.

And Pam saw that and decided to give some herbal extracts

to kick my labor into a higher gear--

remember my water had broken at midnight,

so she was concerned about that--

well the extracts worked...

my body reacted perfectly to them.

The kids came home after dinner with the granparents,

and I thought it was pretty good timing...

still not totally dilated,

but close.

There was lavendar oil burning,

Enya playing (perfect labor music for me!)

and I sat on the sofa quietly breathing away the contractions

until they were getting really tough to just "breathe away"--

I voiced this to Pam

who said, 

"Just dance with the next one."

I answered, a wee bit curtly:

"I do not feel like dancing."

She smiled at Kelli and the husband

and suggested that as soon as the next wave was over,

I walk into the shower

to help me relax.

I was afraid to move from my seat on the sofa--

I knew

that once I stood,

it was going to hurt!

But she was so good,

she talked me into it--

the husband got the shower water nice n' warm

and as soon as the next contraction washed over me,

I stood,

peeled off my robe

and walked straight into the warm shower

wearing my socks!

The water was a sweet release--

exactly what I needed!

The next contraction came quickly,

and I felt the baby's head ready to crown

in the shower!

Perfect!

As soon as that contraction was over,

my team led me to the birthing stool 

all set up in my bedroom

and I sat down with a warm towel over my shoulders

on the birthing stool.

The MIL got the oldest kids out of bed,

and the husband fetched the sleepy 4 year old,

and they all came in to watch the birth!

Two contractions and there was a baby!

I looked down at that beautiful face

and then down at the bottom

and asked,

"Is this a GIRL?"

"YES!" said Pam.

"Oh my. What are we going to do with a girl? What are we gonna name her?"

Lots of names were thrown out--

"Darlene"

"Dana"

"Darla"

"Dena"

"Deanna"--

and then a name surfaced that I had seen in a baby book ten years earlier:

"Dara." I said.

"Her name is Dara. It means "compassion" in Hebrew."

I got a few shakes of the head, but I stuck to it.

I don't know how long after the birth we chose her middle name,

but it wasn't too much later that we decided on 

"Cristine"--

without the "h" like it is traditionally spelled because her dad is dyslexic

and he'd never remember the "h" anyway.

So that's how we got Dara Cristine into this world.

She came in alert, wide-eyed, and happy.

Of all of my children,

she is the most creative,

the most adventurous,

the least inhibited and self-conscious.

She is not timid or shy--

but is an all out there kinda young woman.

She received her Young Women's Recognition award

earlier this year, as was her goal, to receive it before she graduated 

high school.

She recently applied and was accepted to Brigham Young University-Idaho

in Rexburg, Idaho.

She has a full, rich life ahead of her

and I am proud to be her Momza.

Pics from her Life:

 Dara aka "Daisie" with her BFF, Nana

"Guhl Powah"

 Dressed for the youth trek to Wyoming

 Playing "Monkey on the Ground" @ St. James Royal Park

in London, UK.

 She didn't like clothes in 1998--

Nottingham, UK

 She did LOVE sheep though!

Wales, UK

 Her baptism day with Dad

Colorado Springs, CO

2003

 She has probably 100's of this same self-taken photo face

 Flyfishing? Oh yeah.

The Platte River, Deckers, CO.

2011

 Daisie is probably Dean's best friend.

He loves playing with her.

 In  Spring Creek, 

Choteau, MT.

Ready for church,

Meridian, ID.

2008

 Senior Pic 2013

Senior Pic 2013

Likes:

Sushi, "Buffy: the Vampire slayer",

sleeping in, Dakota--our black lab,

manis and pedis, hair and makeup,

giving makeovers to her friends,

parties, road trips, inspirational quotes,

total romantic.

~~~

Interests:

History--specifically The Holocaust,

Creative Writing, Drama, Choir,

travelling, service, hanging out with friends,

~~

Goals:

A college degree (not sure what, yet)

serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2014.

Wife and mother someday,

and a career.  Girlfriend wants to work!

Happy 18th Birthday, Daisie!