A Tofu Miracle

I made this lovely tofu recipe yesterday. My kids are suspicious of tofu. Also they were sick, and on a clear liquid diet. But today, when I reheated it, two of them ate. Tofu.

I present to you the recipe (from allrecipes.com):

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 dash hot sauce
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil.
2. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
4. Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turns golden brown, about 15 minutes more.


I'd check out the link if I were you; there are some helpful cooking tips in the comments. Also, I added fresh ginger to mine. Fresh ginger. Yum.

Only problem is, now I have to double the recipe so there's enough for me and the kids.

You'll Never Kick Alone

This morning, after our ward Christmas breakfast, but before my toddler threw up his orange juice, I discovered that my white taekwondo shirt was missing. I only wear it once every three months, for testing. And I put it right back. Or so I thought. It was not hanging up in the closet. It was also not on the closet floor (I know because I pulled out everything from out of the closet and onto my bed).

My son and I searched. No shirt. Son refused to test unless I tested too (he doesn't want to outrank me. Isn't that sweet?). Finally I decided I would take him there, help him warm up, and then test during makeup testing, hoping I would find the missing uniform in the meantime (it has evaporated! vanished!).

We arrived, a couple of minutes late, and I saw my good friend Shelley watching the end of the previous hour. And she graciously returned home and brought me her uniform, letting me wear it (and sweat in it too. She is a trooper.).

My son and I made it through testing; since we are the same rank, I never get to watch him perform. I just have to take his word for it that he didn't forget those outside in middle blocks on the last line of our form. Oddly, the shirt crisis made me more relaxed than I've ever felt before at a testing. I had already biffed that morning, big time, so even when I realized that I was messing up my kicking combination wrong, I did not get flustered. I just fixed it. Wearing Shelley's shirt. If it weren't for that shirt I would have been on the sidelines.

Tae kwon do is an individual sport--we practice and progess as individuals. But there's a large network of people that make our performance and progression possible. In my case, I am indebted to...

*Master Sorenson and Instructor Brown, for their patient teaching (that form. It took me forever to learn that crazy form.);
*the supportive members of my class--we all cheer for each other;
*my husband, who encourages me and earns the money to pay for classes (and, um, a new uniform);
*my son, who thinks I am cool because I learn taekwondo with him;
*and, of course, to Shelley.

Testing is a good time to acknowledge everyone who has helped make achieving this new rank possible. When I look into the faces of everyone at testing, from the spectators to the instructors to my son, I know how much they want me to succeed, and I appreciate that support. Thank you.

(and now I have a good excuse to get a new uniform.)

Oat Groats: Healthy Food in Need of a PR Makeove

In an effort to improve my diet, I bought some oat groats the other day, cooked them overnight in my crockpot, and had a hot and delicious breakfast ready for me the next day.

Ready for me. Not, however, ready for my kids. They are used to oatmeal, the regular rolled oats kind.

"What is this stuff?" my daughter asked.

"Oat groats," I said. "Like oatmeal, only healthier."

"Bleh!"

My toddler, who had been happily eating, put down his spoon, because he follows his siblings in all things food. If they don't eat it, he won't either.

It did not escape my family's notice that "groats" sounds a lot like "gross." I was the only one who really ate my groats that morning.

Which is a shame, because they're very healthy. Karen's Kitchen has a great explanation of all the different types of oats (groats, steel cut, thick, regular, and quick) and their nutritional value. But the reality is, oat groats, despite the fact that they are super-easy to make and uber-nutritious, aren't going to get very far in the world of feeding picky eaters without a good PR makeover.

Here are some ideas (I'm no PR expert, but if the Oat Groats Growers ever want to use these ideas, I will allow them to free of charge, for the greater good. I'm generous like that.):

1-Oat Groats need a new name!! Something that does not sound like "gross" if you pronounce it sloppily. Here are some ideas:
"Oat Pudding Mix." That's a good one. A bit misleading, but really, when you cook them up they make this pudding-like substance. And it's no more misleading than "Oat Groats" in terms of expectations created by the name.
"Original Oats" Okay, I think that's even better. Because they really are oats as original as we can eat them.
"Floaty Oats" Because it rhymes, like "oats" and "groats."

2-In the absence of a new name, or in addition to one, Oat Groats need a zippy slogan. Also a mascot. I'm thinking a horse--since horses eat oats, this would be perfect. We could have a commercial with a cartoon horse eating them, and then the horse could show his teeth and say "Original Oats: take it from the horse's mouth, there's nothing better."

3- Better packaging! What's up with the plastic bag and bulk bin stuff? Hell-o! Oat groats growers, that's no way to promote your product, people! If you want people to eat what you grow, you've got to at least get a cardboard box, with maybe that horse on the side.

Okay, so maybe none of these things are realistic. I'm thinking the market for oat groats as breakfast cereal is very, very small. My guess is that the oat groats growers are more concerned about how many horses eat their product than how many people (I assume. Don't horses eat oats? Anyway.) But that's a pity. Because Original Floaty Pudding Mix Oat Groats are good eats.

--Emily M.

Halloween Party 2008

We had our annual Halloween Party on October 25, 2008. It was a blast! The leadership did a great job putting together the festivities. From Pumpkin carving and painting, to our annual dodge ball tournament, a fantastic costume contest, pinatas, and a grand potluck, it was a fantastic effort on everyone's part. The reason I am posting about it now; we have pictures from the party! Master Sorenson's camera was not working at the time, so thanks to Melanie for the great photos! If you want, send me photos of an event, and I will get them posted (probably on Tuesdays or Thursdays)!
Thanks to everyone who came to make this a fantastic outing!