FILIPINO PANCIT

Tom has been "Gone to Glory" for almost a month.  Of course, since he has gone everything that he took care of, or that he was wizard for, has broken down including my blog program.  I am trying to get it fixed.  I will keep trying so please bear with me.

FILIPINO PANCIT

Pancit is a wonderful rice noodle dish from the Philippines.  Rice noodles do not have to be cooked.  They are soaked before using. This recipe can be used as a guide so you can use the meat and vegetables of  your choice.

SQUEEZE ON SOME LIME JUICE AND ENJOY!!!!


Pancit is made with thin rice noodles.  All I could find at my largest grocery store was Linguine-style rice noodles.  They worked fine but  I think the dish is prettier with the thin noodles.  Chinese-style thin noodles work well too.

From left to right:  Linguine-style rice noodles, thin rice noodles, and Chinese noodles.

The fine rice noodles which I would like to have used.  The Chinese noodles are also very fine.


Do not omit the limes from this recipe.  A squeeze of lime gives Pancit a wonderful fresh flavor.  The lime juice brightens up all the different ingredients in the dish.


If you would like to use shrimp in your Pancit, but the budget is tight.  Try this trick from Chinese restaurants.  Cut the shrimp in half down the back.  This gives you two shrimp shapes for the price of one.

Two pieces of shrimp for the price of one.




FILIPINO PANCIT
In Asian countries noodles are always served at celebrations and birthdays as noodles represent longevity and good health.  For this recipe, I used a recipe from the Filipino Club that demonstrated Filipino food at the Grand Haven library.  I added some ingredients that I had enjoyed in other pancits I have had.

1 (8oz) pkg. thin rice noodles, I used 14 oz.

½ lb. skinless, boneless, chicken thighs 

½ lb. pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size pieces, optional

½ c soy sauce

1/2 t ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 T salt
2 T cooking oil 

½ medium head Napa cabbage, shredded, I used 2 cups

1 to 2 carrots, shredded
1 large stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/4 lb. snow peas, trimmed and sliced

2  or more green onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
Green onions for garnish

½ lb. shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined, optional
4 limes

Ingredients:  Chicken, pork, rice noodles, soy sauce, Napa cabbage, carrots, celery, pea pods, cooking oil, shrimp, limes, salt and pepper.
 

Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water.  When soft, cut into 4-inch lengths, drain and set aside.  Put enough water into a pan to cover chicken thighs.   Bring water to a boil.  Add chicken and simmer until the center of the chicken is no longer pink.  Remove chicken and reserve liquid.  Shred chicken and reserve.  In a skillet or wok, over medium heat,  heat cooking oil and brown the pork until no pink shows.  Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Sauté cabbage, celery, pea pods and carrots until  tender.  Stir in the noodles, green onions and shrimp.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and pork; cook for 5 more minutes.  Add reserved chicken broth if mixture is too dry.  Serve garnished with chopped green onions and lime slices.

Poach chicken in simmering water until no pink shows in the center.    Remove the chicken and reserve the liquid.

Shred chicken and reserve.

Slice pork into thin slices.

Put noodles into a bowl.

Soak as directed on package.

Clean carrot and celery.

Slice celery.

Slice snow peas.

Slice cabbage.  I will use 3 to 4 cups next time I make Pancit instead of the 2 cups I used this time.

Shred carrots.

Slice cabbage.

Vegetables are ready.

Clean the onions.  

Slice the onions.

Be sure the black vein is gone from the back of the shrimp.

Cut shrimp in half, if desired.

Drain noodles.

Put cooking oil in a pan or wok.  Heat on medium heat.

Add pork and stir fry until pink color is gone.

Add chicken to cooked pork.

Add soy sauce, black pepper, and salt.

Remove meats and reserve.

Add more cooking oil if necessary.  Add celery and snow peas.

Stir fry.

Add carrots and cabbage.  Stir fry until crisp tender.

Add onions, shrimp and drained noodles.

Stir to mix.

Add meats and stir well.

Cook together for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add reserved chicken liquid if mixture gets to dry.

Garnish with lime slices.

Pile on your plate, add a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!

ELEGY FOR A WIZARD. IN LOVING MEMORY OF THOMAS HEINER

Tom and I are blessed not only with wonderful Grandchildren, but extremely talented ones.  The following link will take you to the wonderful music our oldest Grandson wrote for his Grandpa.  As Tom wrote on his Facebook page, "I am one lucky Opa!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okwhc2LeTAo

HOW DO YOU TAKE THE WRONG DOG HOME FROM THE VET??

Before Tom was married, he lived in the Sierra Nevada mountains.  The land of tall trees.  After a business trip, he went to the vet kennels to pick up his dog, George.  The receptionist brought him out a dog and he left.  He got to the car and thought George had gone senile while he was away as the dog would not obey any of Tom's commands.  Tom finally loaded up the dog and headed up the highway to his home.  The dog was acting strangely.  Tom couldn't figure out what was the matter with George.  Then Tom looked at the collar.  The dog was not George.  A quick U-turn had Tom speeding back down the mountain.  As he entered the vet's office he heard a howling and the sound of toenails digging into wood floors.  George knew Tom had been there so this time George wasn't going to let Tom leave without him.  

I use to look at Tom and ask, "How could you pick up the wrong dog?"  Tom never had an answer.  However, when we take Izzy to the groomer it would be easy to pick up the wrong dog.  I always say, "Izzy is that you?"

Shaggy is in.

Izzy's face says she is ready to take on anything.

Bring it on.


Izzy is a trooper.  She braves power doors, elevators, and tries to imitate  Katrinka, her German Shepherd "sister" who passed over, by barking to protect me.  The problem is she likes to bark from behind me.  When Katrinka was alive, Izzy would stand under Katrinka to bark at strangers.


Izzy goes the the groomer looking like a ruffian. She is shaggy and looks ill-kept.  When she comes home I am never quite sure she is the same dog.  For one thing with her hair trimmed, she looks like she is half her usual size. 

She looks so small with her hair trimmed.

 Look at that well trimmed nose.  She looks ready for a dog show.

 Her feet are so small after trimming.  They no longer look like snow shoes.

As the song goes, "I'm so pretty, I'm so pretty.......

DUTCH OLLIEBOLLEN---FAT BALLS

The Tulip Festival is in full swing in Holland, Michigan.  Dutch food is available at the Civic Center and on Windmill Island.  Our favorite Olliebollen is served on Windmill Island.  Click on the address under the picture to make your own Olliebollen. 


Olliebollen or Fat Balls.  Don't let the name stop you from making them.  They are fantastic.

http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/11/dutch-oliebollenfat-ballshappy-new-year.html

LIFE GOES ON WITH A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY

Tom's Spirit left this life as we know it in the wee morning hours of the 28th of April.  He travels where we can only dream.  For me, my life as I knew it ended.  Our hopes, dreams, and our every day life routines ended.  For me the world stopped.  Yet, I look out the window and everyone else is going about their business as if nothing had happened.  There are plans to honor Tom to make, demands are made on me that I don't feel I can handle with my mind swamped with grief.  But, life goes on.  I must.  My children and grandchildren hold me up and support me even though they, too, are bowed with grief.  Life goes on in this world as Tom travels to worlds we are not privileged to know.

It is time for the Tulips in Holland, Michigan.  Even though it has been unseasonably cold, make that frigid when the wind blows, there are tulips in bloom.  Yesterday my family went with me to the opening day of the Tulip Festival.  Tom loved taking pictures of the tulips and eating Olliebollen so we did the things he loved to do.

Photos by Cindy:

Tulips for Tom.

Field of tulips on Windmill Island, Holland, Michigan.

The Swan Windmill.  It is the last windmill that was allowed to leave the Netherlands.  During Tulip Time, visitors not only can visit the mill and other features on the Island, there is also a reenactment of the Holland area in the 1700's.  Native American, British troops, fur traders, early settlers, and merchants are all there to share their lives.

IN SO VERY LOVING MEMORY OF TOM

Tom passed to his Glory on Thursday April 28th.  He left knowing how much he was loved by his whole family as children, grandchildren, his sister and brother-in-law, and myself, gather in the hospital to hold his hand, kiss his face and tell him over and over again that we loved him and were so glad that he came into our lives. 

We will never forget him and will forever miss him.  He was a truly good man.  To quote his best friend of thirty years, "The best way to sum up Tom was integrity.  I never met another person with higher personal standards than Tom Heiner.  Honesty was his lifestyle.  His life was lived the way God intended.  I shall miss you my brother."

To imagine going on without him is almost impossible for me.  Izzy and I have lost half our family in 2 months time.  However, because we loved him we will go on and honor his memory.  He so enjoyed working with me on the blog so somehow the blog will continue. 

These pictures were taken when he still had his mustache.  He is dressed for one of his band concerts.  He played the clarinet.  He also made the world's best barbequed chicken.

He loved life and so enjoyed going to all his grand-children's musical and sports events.

He loved hats and had one for every occasion.

We miss him so much.  Have fun in Heaven.  Time is relative so I will see you soon.  Lots and lots of love, julie