dragon boat festival

The dragon boat festival is hereeee 🙂 I love Chinese holidays because they usually involve food. My mom only makes certain foods on certain holidays so if I crave them, oh well. I have to wait until the holiday rolls around the next year. The dragon boat festival is one of my favorites because people back in China actually race these huge colorful dragon boats. It’s a really big competition kind of like surfing comps over here. I haven’t seen a dragon boat race around my area but I’m sure there are some in San Francisco and cities that have big Asian populations along the coast. Every year for the dragon boat festival, my mom makes these triangular sticky rice goodies called “dong” in Cantonese. It’s sticky rice mixed with peanuts with an aged egg, Chinese sausage, pork, and dried shrimp inside. It’s covered with banana leaves and bounded with white string. I’m not a huge fan of the aged egg so usually my mom will make some that don’t have eggs in them. What can I say? I’m a picky eater 😛

For my readers who have no flippin idea what the dragon boat festival is…it celebrates the life of a man who committed suicide. Don’t ask. When I asked my mom about it all she said was that a man jumped off a bridge and into a river therefore committing suicide. So every year on the anniversary of his death, the villagers around the area where the river is made dong and put them in the river. My mom says that some people believe if they put the dong into the river than the man will have food to eat while others believe that if they put the dong into the river, the fish will eat the dong and not the man’s body. I’m not really sure which is true but the dong is mighty tasty. As for the dragon boats, my mom said people believe that the boats will scare away the fish. I always look forward to this holiday every year. My great grandmother made the best dongs but since her passing, no one in my family has been able to replicate them. My great grandmother made it a family tradition. Every year all my aunts would gather at my grandmas house and make dong. My grandma makes good ones too but now that she’s older, she doesn’t really want to make a hassle of the holiday. My mom knows I love food so it’s always going to be an event at our house 🙂 I’ll try to get a picture of it so it makes more sense. Thanks for reading!

Feelin like a horrible blogger

I’ve been such a horrible blogger. Since I started working I’ve been neglecting my blog because I always knocked out after I got home. Along with a string of health issues, I was given more hours at work (which I’m appreciative of) so that explains my absence. Now I’m working full-time hours along with over time which has my life going in a crazy circle. I’m eating, sleeping, and breathing work all the time. I can sadly say goodbye to my social life.

Speaking of health issues, who the heck knew an x-ray could cost over $1000?! And this is when I have health insurance. I don’t make a whole lot at my job but it’s pretty decent and definitely over minimum wage. That being said, I pay for my health insurance every month like every person who has it. YET my co payment is super high and my insurance barely covers my meds when I need them. Long story short, I was sick for awhile back in Feb/March and my doctor said it’s like a reoccurring thing so I had to get some tests done. Tests done = x-rays and blood test. I was also prescribed an inhaler. Holy cow, those things are so darn expensive. I can tell you that the x-ray and inhaler is more than my monthly paycheck. Does anyone know of a decent health insurance plan? I currently have Health Net and they’re okay but geez louise, they’re breaking my piggy bank!

I’m waiting for the school year to be over (it ends the third week of June) so summer could start. I plan on going to plenty of beaches including Santa Monica, Newport, and Laguna to work on my photography. I also need to hit the gym so I could feel better and healthier. I’ve been feeling sluggish since I’ve gotten since and that feels has come and gone. Congrats to all the 2013 graduates! 🙂 My little cousin graduated from Cal State Long Beach this week so congrats to him. Now he has to be on the job prowl 😛 Thanks for reading!

waffle french toast

I was at work discussing what to make for breakfast with one of the lunch ladies and waffle french toast came up. I’ve been dying to try the recipe since I saw it on the Food Network so naturally I had to experiment.

Waffle French Toast
6 slices of wheat bread (challah and brioche probably work best because it’s sturdy)
2 eggs
1 cup of whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
strawberries and syrup for garnishing
pinch of cinnamon (optional)

1. Heat your waffle iron
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.
3. Add vanilla and salt. The cinnamon is optional but if you prefer that kind of french toast taste than by all means add it.
4. Soak each piece of bread in the milk mixture. Soak enough to coat the entire piece of bread but don’t over soak it or else it’ll be all mushy and gross.
5. Cook on your waffle iron at the temp you’d make waffles at. I have a Cuisinart one and I use the 3.
6. Top with strawberries and drizzle syrup on top.

It’s the perfect brunch for mothers day 🙂 It’s also a great recipe for breakfast. All the ingredients are ingredients that I have on hand all the time so it’s simple. I love things that are simple 🙂 In other news, I’m volunteering with the Jordan Farmar Foundation this summer! 🙂 It’ll be at UCLA’s Pauley Pavillion for the annual Hoop Farm basketball camp. I’m beyond excited. Jordan played for UCLA while my sister was a freshman there so I’ve been a fan ever since. July needs to come faster!