Tag: Connor

Covid

Connor and I had each other’s company when we both had covid. We were able to spend some quality time together playing games. Here, we are playing “Forbidden Desert” – not his favorite game. Devon is now the last man standing in our household who has not gotten covid.

Palisades-Kepler State Park

We went hiking at Palisades-Kepler State Park near Cedar Rapids. The autumn leaves were gorgeous, and the weather cooperated for the most part. It was our first time visiting this park, and it was worth the drive.

Volunteering at the Animal Rescue League

We volunteer most weekends at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Devon and Connor work diligently to clean the cages and care areas, feed the animals, and take care of whatever else needs to be done each day.

Con Brio Piano Certification

Congratulations to Connor for getting a high distinction with his Grade 6 piano performance with the Con Brio Examinations.

Bike Ride Over New Bridge

The family went on a bike ride through the southern part of Ankeny, crossing over the recently-built Oralabor Gateway Connector bridge that crosses Oralabor road. We explored trails that we have never been to before, learning more about the parts of town we don’t often get to visit.

Lewis & Art exhibition at Reiman Gardens

Even though we have been visiting the Reiman Gardens for years, there are always new art exhibitions on display. This amazing sculpture made from recycled materials is created by the artist, Dale Lewis and is part of his traveling exhibit, Lewis and Art exhibition.

Preparing a jackfruit

Jackfruit is in season again. This is one of our favorite fruits. We enjoy having an ethnic grocery store in the neighborhood to have access to tropical fruits and vegetables that are seldom available or overly priced in the local stores. Preparing the jackfruit is such a labor intensive process. You need to oil up your hands and your knife to counter the latex of the fruit. This delicious fruit is worth all that trouble.

Making Pho

Connor enjoys cooking. He learns how to operate the instant pot, our favorite kitchen appliance, and he is able to make beef pho from scratch. Delicious and healthy! What not to love? Let me share our recipe:

 

Ingredients (4 servings):

1 lb angus beef steak

32 oz low sodium organic beef broth (we prefer the flavorful Pacific brand)

1 star anise

1 small cinnamon stick

1 cardamon

dried pho noodles

bean sprouts

bok choy or napa cabbage

cilantro

scallions

fried crispy shallots

sriracha hot chili sauce

 

Instructions:

  1. Trim the fat off the steak and put it in the instant pot. Pour in the beef broth. Add star anise, cinnamon stick and cardamon. Pressure cook at high pressure for 30 minutes to an hour. Do a quick release when it is ready.
  2. While the beef is cooking, set a pot of water to boil and cook pho noodles according to package instructions. Once soft, drain, rinse and set aside.
  3. Wash the vegetables. Chop up the bok choy. Blanche the bean sprouts and bok choy.
  4. When the beef is ready, drain and shred the meat.
  5. Serve the pho noodles in a bowl. Place the meat and vegetables on the noodles. Ladle the soup and garnish with cilantro, scallions and fried crispy shallots. Serve with chili sauce.