A Lazy Cook's fall-of-the-bone Baby Back ribs

This is a super-easy Baby back rib recipe. I got it from Allrecipes.com.

2 lbs baby back ribs

1 bottle of store bought BBQ sauce

Salt and pepper

1. Cut ribs into single pieces

2. Sprinkle some salt and pepper onto the ribs

3. Cut about 4 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil (about 15" long)

4. Put 3-4 ribs in each of the foil and smother BBQ sauce all over, fold over into small pouches

5. Marinate for 4-5 hrs or as long as you can (overnight is preferred)

6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

7. Put the aluminum pouches into an baking pan (in case the sauces spill over).

8. Bake for 3 hours

9. Carefully remove the ribs from oven, and the ribs out of the pouches. Discard the remaining juices inside the pouches

10. Brush additional BBQ sauce on the rib and serve!

The meat will be super tender and will fall off the bone!! Absolutely delicious!! I personally like to use the Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce, but you can choose any you like. There is a lot of variety in supermarkets to select from.

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Sarah ABCs

Sarah loves to hear us sing the ABC song to her. Watch for her “bored” expression before and after the song…and all her smiles in-between! Enjoy

Return to the 80's?

I could barely contain myself when I saw this at GAP the other day. Stirrups!! This is sooo 1980's! My gosh, we used to wear this with sneakers I think, maybe with leg warmers too??...definitely not with fancy heels for sure. It's bold to suggest that the stirrups should be worn like this - no skirt or longer shirt to cover up. Truth is that one MUST have a perfect butt & small hips to wear this... which is of course NOT me! Fell into that trap years ago and learned my lesson. Sorry lovely stirrups, I'm not your buyer! By the way, GAP also has skinny jeans with ankle zippers - remember those??

According to this website, here are the top 10 1980's fashion trends. Admit it, I'm sure you own a few pieces!!

• Shoulder Pads
• Mini Skirts
  
• Leg Warmers
• Big Earrings
• Fingerless Gloves
• Parachute Pants a la MC Hammer pants
• Members Only Jackets
• Units (oh yeah!)
  
• Stirrup pants
  
• Oversized tops
  

I also remember these, especially during the middle school years: Keds shoes, Ciao denim bags, Patagonia jackets, hmm...what else? what else?

TJ products

Garlic Bread - $1.99

This is found in the freezer section. Bread is about 6" long, 1 side only, and needs to be baked in the oven 425 degrees. I find the taste more "cheesy" than "garlicky." It's OK for me, although my husband liked it a lot. The good thing about it is that it didn't give me a nasty after taste. Would maybe buy again, once in a while.

Pork Gyoza Potstickers - $2.99

I love these! There are about 24 - 28 in a pack and it's perfect for a quick meal when you can't think of anything to eat. Don't need soy sauce or any other sauce. They are perfectly seasoned already. Pan fry for 1 minute in high heat, and then add water & simmer under low heat for 5 minutes. It comes out really good every time. Would buy again.

Mango & Cream Bars - $3.49

If you like mango, you would love these. They totally taste like the real fruit! The bar is small, probably the length of your tallest finger. 8 in a box. The bars don't come with a wooden stick so it makes it necessary to eat really fast before it melts 'cuz it can get messy. But you totally can eat this in 3-4 bites because it's really good. Would totally buy this again.

Dried Cranberries - $2.99 ?? don't remember

one of my favorites. They are not too sweet nor too sour. Just right. Perfect. I eat these to snack - although you can also use these to bake. They are really addicting. I can finish 1/4 of a bag in one sitting.

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Meet Sarah

I wished I had remember to post this video earlier. My sister MT made this for me when I was in the hospital. It's of little Sarah when she was only 2 weeks old. I absolutely love it! I enjoy every second of this video - where has time gone?? She looks so different already. *sniff* *sniff*

A Letter to Sarah at 3 months 10 days

Today I am going to start a new category in my blog called "Letters to Sarah." These entries are to document what Sarah has been up to lately. It's a list of things about Sarah - it's my way of remembering her little silliness. And maybe one day, she would like to read these when she grows up. :-) I'll start off with 10 things I noticed about Sarah recently.

Hi Sarah,
Lately...

1. you love to lick your wrist. Yep, not your hands or fingers, but your wrist. It seems like you like to do this as you doze off to sleep
2. you're about 2 feet long, according to your daddy's measuring tape. I don't remember if he included your 2" hair
3. you get excited when we recite the ABC's to you and you especially love the letter, "R." You can curl your tongue for the "R" just like us. Daddy thinks you may be a pirate in your past life
4. when we wake you up in the morning, you move your head from left to right, left to right, again and again. This can go on for over 5 minutes as you stretch
   
5. after you're done stretching and actually have your eyes open, you always give mommy a Good morning smile :-)
6. you no longer cry during tummy time. You used to hate this exercise, but now you seem to really like it. We can actually get a smile out of you
   
7. you love your swing and you can finally pull the ring handles to make the swing play music. And yes, you still love your birdie friend, who sits just above the swing. We think that you like your birdie friend so much because its facial characteristics resemble you - so it's kind of like looking into a mirror
   
8. you are wearing 3-6 months clothes and Size 1 diapers
9. you have discovered your tongue and are constantly sticking your tongue out. With your mouth open all the time, you drool a lot too. I sometimes think you're teething, but you're only 3 months now, so not likely. We have to put a bib on you.
10. you have strong legs - one of your favorite game to play is "standing up and sitting down" with your Daddy.

Strike a Pose!

HK-style Baked Pork Chop over Rice (焗豬扒飯)

Baked Pork Chop over Rice is a very popular dish in Hong Kong style cuisine. Every restaurant will have some variation of this dish, but for the most part, the main ingredients include pork chops, rice and a tomato sauce. This dish is baked. My all-time favorite restaurant in the Bay Area that serves this dish is VIP Coffee and Cakes in SF Chinatown. They do it right... their pork chops are tender; sauce is excellent; and it is served with fried rice rather than plain white rice. I attempted to make this dish for dinner tonight and I must say that it turned out not too bad at all!! Husband-approved! Yay! So here I'll share with you my recipe. Sorry I didn't do exact measurements!

Ingredients: (serves 2-3 people)
For the pork chops

• 1.5 lb Thin Cut Pork Loin Rib Chops (about 5 pieces)
• 2-3 TBS of light soy sauce
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 TBS of rice flour
• oil for frying
  

For the tomato sauce

• 1/2 of small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
  
• 3 TBS ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp rice flour
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
  

For fried rice

• 1-1/2 cup rice, cooked
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
• about 6-8 large mushrooms, sliced
• 8-12 baby carrots, diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
  

Directions:
1. Cook rice, set aside
2. Marinate Pork chops (can do this in advance or day before)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. For the sauce - using a small pot with some oil, fry the onions until limp (about 5 mins). Add in tomatoes until soft and broken
5. In a measuring cup, add water, ketchup, oil, rice flour, sugar, mix well. Then add mixture to the onions and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and set aside
6. On a frying pan, fry pork chops until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes on each side). Remove from pan
7. Using the same pan, fry 2 beaten eggs until done. Add mushrooms & carrots. Stir-fry until mushrooms become cooked but not brown (about 5 minutes). Do not overcook
8. Add cooked rice, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining beaten egg onto rice until the watery party is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Pour the fried rice into a deep baking dish. Add the pork chops on top. Pour tomato sauce on top of the pork chops.
11. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Put into oven for 20 minutes for cheese to melt

The recipe above is my simple version. This is not a hard dish to make, but quite time-consuming due to the different parts and prep time.

Enjoy!

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Red Egg & Ginger Party

Yesterday, we celebrated Sarah's 100-day birthday with a Red Egg & Ginger party at Kome Sushi Buffet in Daly City. Traditionally, the celebration happens at the baby's 1 month mark (known as "Full Month" in Chinese). But in the Bay Area, most parents choose to celebrate the occasion around 3 months. This is preferred because at 3 months, the baby is more awake and less "fragile." And Mommy feels more energized too!

We had about 70 guests and the party lasted from 1:30 to 4:00. Hoped everyone enjoyed themselves, because we surely did! It was so nice to catch up with friends and family. Sarah slept about half way through the party but fortunately did wake up in time for a few photos.

Here is a photo of Sarah and her friends, Chloe and Sheldon. Sarah is blowing bubbles and Chloe & Sheldon probably thought it was gum and wanted some. LOL


Thank you all for sharing this special day with us and for all your wonderful gifts and blessings!

YAY! She did it!

I always worry about Sarah's ability to raise her head up just because we don't make her do enough tummy time. First of all, Sarah sometimes throw up her milk and so we are careful not to move her too much after each feeding. So we give her tummy time before feeding - but that sometimes fail because she gets hungry. And when she does get tummy time, poor little Sarah just has a hard time. She's able to lift up her head a little bit but most of the time, she cries and cries in agony and gets sweaty hot. We can't bear to see her in such discomfort so we let her "off the hook." I know, I know, we're such easy parents!

So up until last week, Sarah's head (or should I say neck?) still wasn't strong enough. In fact, when we went to Sears last week for her 3-month portraits, all her tummy pictures didn't turn out nice at all. But this week... she DID it!! I couldn't believe it! Not only did she lift up her head, she held it long enough for me to capture a photo of her and her smiley face!! I am so proud of you, baby girl!

Trader Joe's products

I've always been a fan of Trader Joe's but in the past, the only one in the city was on Geary. The location is a bit out of the way for us so we don't make it out there often. However, now there are two new locations that are much closer: Stonestown and Daly City's Westlake. Today I went to TJ in Stonestown and tried some out some new items (not necessarily new in TJ, but new to me). I'm going to try to document the items I've tried - as a reminder for myself.

Carne Asada-$6.99 per pound
It is marinated beef sirloin, used primarily for tacos. I used it as stir fry and it works just as well. The taste is peppery and a hint of lemon/lime. The beef is tender. The taste for me was "just OK." I was mistaken to think that that the meat was already sliced (as per the package) but they are not. They come in 3-4 chunky slices in the package. I am not fond of cutting already marinated meat because I always feel like all the marinade is gone by the time I'm done cutting. That may be just me.

Organic Strawberry Lemonade - $3.29
Okay, probably not as good as the strawberry lemonade from Cheesecake Factory but this is close. The juice is not too sweet nor too sour. I can taste the strawberry which is a plus. Contains 21% juice.

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Don't sweat over the small stuff

I realize that I always sweat over the small stuff. Maybe that’s why I have tons of gray hairs. I worry and stress over every little thing (I’m sure I got this from my Mom). I sometimes don’t know that I’m doing it until someone points it out.

Story: This past Saturday (9/4), my husband and I took Sarah to Sears for her 3-month studio portraits. We ended up buying a 10×10 framed portrait with 4 poses. We also had her name printed on the portrait, in pink. SQ questioned if I really wanted her name in pink, and I said, yes, because the pink matched the shirt Sarah wore. But then this morning, I woke up at 6:30am contemplating about the decision I made. I woke up SQ and said, “oh no, I think the pink might not show up on the white background…” I got worried because we paid good $$ for that frame and it was the only thing we ordered. I didn’t want it to be not perfect. Then SQ said, “why are you worrying so much about the name? so what if the name doesn’t show up? It’s the photos you want to see, right? that’s more important.” And at that moment, I knew he was right. Why sweat over a few words if the picture is what I’ll treasure more!

P.S. Happy 3-month birthday today, my little Sarah!

new restaurants

SQ and I love to go around our neighborhood trying out new restaurants. This weekend we tried out two places.

LOU'S CAFE (on Geary, between 14th and 15th)
This place opened about 4 months ago. We found it via Yelp. They serve sandwiches, soup and coffee. We ordered the LLB Special (roast beef, turkey, ham on Dutch crunch). It comes with Lou's special sauce and jalapeno sauce. Also ordered a custom sandwich with chicken breast and avocado. We also ordered a cup of clam chowder. I must say that I absolutely love everything we ordered! the clam chowder was really delicious, even better than Boudins IMO. Nice service and clean atmosphere. I would definitely come back.

SAWAII RAMEN (on Irving between 23rd and 24th)
This place also just opened. It used to be Macau Friends before it went under. We ordered the fried tofu as appetizer. The tofu came in a plate with the sauce. The tofu was a bit soggy because of the sauce. I think I would have liked the sauce on a separate plate. We also ordered the pork ramen. Really disappointed with the meal. While the soup and noodles tasted fine, the bowl only included 3 pieces of cha siu, seaweed, bamboo shoot, and wood ear. That was it. No bean sprouts, no egg, no fish cake, no red ginger. So it was kinda blah.

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Crib

After letting Sarah sleep three months between the Pack N Play and the bassinet, we finally got Sarah's crib set up yesterday. The crib is hand me down from her cousin but is in very good shape. We even picked up the hand me down crib set. The theme is stars and moon. A lot of blue but there is some yellow to balance! I guess this fits in perfectly with her bedtime story, "Goodnight Moon!"

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Shopping mindset for my lovable Sarah

Today I took the bus to Downtown SF. It is actually a pleasant direct ride on MUNI and the only way to go. No rush and no worries about parking. I went primarily to Old Navy and GAP, since their Friends & Family discount event (30% off!) starts today. In both stores, I found myself subconsciously walking straight to the Baby section. I didn't even bother one second to look in the Women section for clothes for myself! How did my shopping mindset change so fast? Now, it's all about my baby, my baby, my baby. :) Well, why wouldn't I constantly think of my baby Sarah? She gives me a "morning smile" every day when she wakes up from her sleep! And yesterday night, Sarah was especially lovable - she slept from midnight to 7am! 7 hours of continuous sleep - Love, Love Love!

Short Arms or Big Head?

I noticed that Sarah's arms are the same length as her head. Look at this picture and you'll see what I mean. So does she have a big head or just short arms? LOL! Well, according to websites & doctors, the baby's head grows at a faster rate than the body, but the body will eventually catch up. I guess the big head to small body ratio is what makes all babies so damn cute.

Anyhoo, I took Sarah to her 2-month wellness check-up this week and here are her stats:

Weight - 10 lb 10 oz (39% tile)
Height - 22.75" (61% tile)
Head Circumference - 15.75" (77% tile)

Sarah also took all her 2-month vaccinations and she did really well! A loud scream and a beet-red face that lasted only 10 seconds...and then she's back to her normal self. Good job, baby!

Someone woke me up and I'm not happy about it!

My little Sarah

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Watch you smile while you are sleeping

While you're far away and dreaming

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender

I could stay lost in this moment forever

Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep

'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do

I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating

And I'm wondering what you're dreaming

Wondering if it's me you're seeing

Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together

I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep

'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do

I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing

A Tribute to my Husband

I met SQ 10 years ago through a mutual friend. After dating him for less than 3 months, I knew, in my heart, that I wanted to marry him. You might think it's silly or outright impossible, but I just knew he would make the perfect husband. SQ is not, and never was, your typical romantic boyfriend who sweeps girls off their feet with flowers and sweet words. In fact, he rarely says "I love you," to me, buys me flowers, or plans any special night outs. Sometimes I get so angry and disappointed because he didn't do any of the things I wished he would have done. I ended up consoling myself that SQ is a "practical" type of guy and he's not into any of the "surface" things....

During this past month, when I got really sick, I was reminded why I married SQ in the first place. During the 24 days I spent in the hospital, SQ stayed with me 24/7. When I was in the ICU, he slept on a chair just so he can stay overnight in the room with me. He tended to my every need, watching over me, making me comfortable, encouraging me to stay strong. As much pain and suffering I was going through, I'm sure he felt it equally.

After my discharge from the hospital, SQ is balancing between being a husband and a father. He has been taking care of Sarah day and night - feedings around the clock, diaper changes, bath time...the whole 9 yards. In addition, he has been doing laundry, taking out the trash, and all the little chores around the house! I have never heard him once complain about being tired or sleepy, or the fact that he has to do everything. I feel guilty and helpless because all I can do is to watch him do the work. But all SQ wanted from me was for me to get better and smile.

To my SQ - I know you're not good at expressing your feelings, but I know. I know how much you care about me, how much you love me and Sarah. You have shown us what unconditional love is, through your actions, not through words. I promise that everything will get better and we will enjoy our days ahead. Love you with all my heart!

Reset and Restart

I return today to this blog with a month elapsed, a month gone in a time warp - days I try hard not to remember. The only thing I do want to remember is that I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on June 5 at 10:03am. Her name is Sarah Kay Quach. Born via c-section 5 lbs 9 oz, 19 inches.

She is the cutest little baby ever. So delicate yet so fiesty. She is the joy of my life.

Unfortunately, my time with Sarah after her birth was short. I was admitted to the hospital for post-partum infection 8 days after her birth. When I went to the ER on 6/13, I had no idea that I would end up staying in the hospital for the next 24 days. 3 nights in the ICU, 7 CT scans, no-food-no-liquid diets for days, drains, non-stop fevers... the pain and suffering went on. I saw Sarah only 2 times during this period. Each day I tell myself that I need to stay strong but each day new complications arise. I broke down many times. These are the days I want to forget and leave behind.

I was finally released from the hospital 7/7. I thought this day would never come but it finally did. There was a sense of euphoria when I first stepped into my own home after so many days of being gone. I can't really explain it but it was so nice to be home. I know that I still have ways to go in recovery, but it was still just nice to be home. Sarah came home the next day. That night, I gave Sean and Sarah a big hug. Our small family of 3 was finally together once again. The past month has been a "wash," so now we are resetting and restarting our time together.

38 weeks

Today marks 38 weeks into my pregnancy. Exactly 2 weeks before my estimated due date! Sometimes I feel like I am no where near - but there are times when I feel like Baby girl will come out anytime now. Like most people, I have mixed feelings. I am excited, scared, nervous, ready, unprepared...all at the same time. Certain moments, I feel how wonderful it would be to cradle my baby - then in a switch of thought, I am sad that my independence is about to end soon. I guess all these mixed emotions are normal, at least from the articles I've been reading online. I just hope I can get through the childbirth process, that's what scares me the most.