My daughter's 4th birthday and my 8 years wedding anniversary.

Today is one of my daughter's 4th birthday on my 8 year wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast things are going. It was just like yesterday I was just laying down on my bed and watching Gilmore Girls. All of a sudden I felt some stomach pain. My husband drove me to the hospital. It was one of the scariest moment of my life because it was very early (2 1/2 weeks early). This really nice nurse helped me. I had to go to this room to check my contractions and my heart beat. We were there for an hour or so. She let me go home and to take these pill to help the pain. I tried the medicine. That didn't go well. I knew she was coming early and when I give birth to her she will be operated on because of her stomach illness. We went back to the hospital. I was in so much pain and no nurse was around. Then this other nurse came and she wasn't a very nice nurse at all. She argued with my husband the whole time while I was in so much pain and with my unborn child health condition, I was really mad at the same time. I didn't get any pain relief. I had to lean over on this tall thing with wheels while they were getting the room ready and the nurse was still arguing with my husband. They were arguing because my son was with us. We told her we don't have any family or friends that could watch our son. My family are in the States and his family lives far. I didn't want to leave my son with any neighbors. It was horrific moment. I really wanted my husband by my side but he couldn't. I was laying on my side and gave birth to my beautiful 5lb baby girl. She was so tiny. My husband and I named her Rebecka. The nurses washed her up and told me I could have my little baby lay on my chest until she goes to the infant intensive care to find out more of her stomach illness. I remember her little tiny body and her eyes looking straight at me. It was one of the best moments of my life. She's so beautiful. The sad moment was when the nurse took her away. 

I went to see Becky, she was in her incubator. No one knew how sick she was. She stayed in the infant intensive care for 3 to 4 days. Then moved her to another unit where we had to wait for her to be operated on. She just laid on her bed. The doctor told us about her stomach illness and didn't want to operate on her at the moment because she was too small so they asked just to keep an eye on her and if anything happens bring her back. 

Her first day home. She was 1 1/2 week old. 

About 2 months passed and she was doing pretty well. 

She started to throw up a lot after drinking milk. Her eyes were so big and dark. It was terrifying to see her like that. She looked like she was in pain. She became pale. We brought her back to the hospital. I stayed with her for weeks. Did some test. Everything was fine, she ate/drank again, and wasn't operated on. We were sent home.

Months later she started to throw up again, like before. But it was worst. Brought her to the emergency room. Her legs started to change colors. It was the strangest thing ever. The nurse never seen it. It looked like DNA twisting and changing. Red,blue purple just for couple minutes. She was so drowsy and gave her some medicine. It was quiet. Around 11pm she had a seizure. When she calmed she became very hyper. Then she had another seizure. They brought her to the emergency and in the incubator, hooked up. Then she had her third seizure. It was matter of life or death, her heart stopped beating. I was heartbroken when my husband told me this on the phone. I cried so much. I was home with my son at the time. The doctor brought her heart back to life. It was a miracle. My husband told me it took 4 adults to hold her down to take her medicine. She was a strong little one. She was back to her normal self. I stayed with her in the hospital for weeks. She had her brain tested. Her arm was so blue because one of the nurse, sticked needle in the wrong place. Becky's arm looked like a balloon. We were told if we had brought her later she would of died.

Months passed. We took a trip to the States to visit my family. Becky got to meet her grandparents, aunt, and uncle for the first time. 

This was taken at my parents. She was so happy meeting everyone and just enjoying life.

When we got back home to Norway. She started to throw up again when I fed her a little yogurt. Her stomach couldn't take anymore solid food. Her eyes became so dark and she kept throwing up so much. I looked into her eyes and it was so dark. We went back to the hospital and she had her surgery. They operated on her stomach because her upper intestine was narrow. Food couldn't pass through. 

 My other daughter who is 2 1/2 had the same illness as Becky. Both my daughters are doing great.

Becky is a healthy, happy, beautiful, girl. I love her so much. I can't believe she is 4 today. I'm thankful both my daughters  and my only son are with me and I can see their beautiful faces everyday. 

Happy Birthday to my Becky and Happy 8 years wedding anniversary too.

I asked my daughter what she wanted me to make for her birthday. She just wanted to order pizza and watch Princess movies all day with me. 

 I baked these earlier during the week. Homemade blueberry banana corn muffins and mini chewy chocolate brownies just for my kids and for my little princess who loves my baking. 

My grape/cranberry chicken salad

I love fall season, with the beautiful colorful leaves, the crisp fall air, and fall food I love to make. Just to get my mind off of everythings that is happening, it's the last day of autumn vacation. I wanted to share this recipe.  

I whipped up something quick and easy. My cranberry/grape chicken salad. It's very tasty. 

Shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped onion, celery, grapes, green onions, minced garlic, dried dill, dried Greek dressing, mayonnaise, salt, pepper.

1 cup kesam or sour cream mixed with cranberry jam and dried cranberries and tablespoon sugar.

Mix everything well. Serve in slices fresh baked baguette or slices of fresh baked bread.

My Cambodian Rice Porridge (Bor-bo)

It is so loud with my 3 kids trying to get my attention while I'm trying to blog. I'm sorry if I don't make much sense. Anyways I would like to share with you one of my favorite childhood food. Cambodian chicken rice porridge. My mom makes awesome Khmer food and I really miss her cooking especially her katiew (Cambodian noodle soup almost like Vietnamese Pho), egg rolls, Vietnamese omelet, Cambodian chicken wings, bor-bo, stir fry dish, fresh spring rolls, fish dishes, Khmer steaks, and everything else. I'm trying my best to make all of them myself and turns out my family loves my Khmer food but it's not close to my mom's Khmer cooking. How awesome would it be if I could be a kids again. The last time I had my mom's cooking was when my parents visited Norway last Christmas holiday.

This morning I made more Cambodian chicken rice porridge. In Khmer it's called bor-bo. I guess that's how you would spell it. My kids are addicted to this now. It's perfect for this autumn season. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I had made this before for my son. He asked me why I stopped making this. My other 2 daughters were too small back then and had some difficulties with their illness. 

I asked them what do you guys want to eat this morning. They scream "Blah Blah" when they mean bor-bo. It's so funny how they try to speak a little Khmer. My kid are mostly speaking Norsk. They speak Norwegian to their dad or friends. They would speak Norwegian to me too but I would reply in English or a little Norsk. 

Ingredients
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 whole chicken, cleaned and drained
9 cups water
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder
1 garlic bulb, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup cooked rice flakes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Seasoning/Garnish
stalks green onion, chopped
fresh bean sprouts
fresh mint leaves
chili sauce or chopped red chili
lime wedges
fermented soy bean
freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken, water, stock, and chicken bouillon in a large soup pot. Heat pot on high heat. Cook until chicken meat tenders about 35-40 minutes. Remove chicken from soup broth. Put on a large plate, set a side to let cool.

Cover soup pot and let broth simmer.

Heat up a skillet to high heat. When skillet is hot add in coconut oil. Add garlic and onion and seasoned with vegetable bouillon powder, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add rice, saute until rice turns light brown. Stir well.

Add saute rice into the soup broth. Cook until rice tender about 25 -35minutes. If it gets to dry add more chicken stock and stir so nothing sticks to the bottom. Add in rice flakes to the rice soup. Seasoned with fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Cover and let simmer.

While rice porridge simmers get all the garnish ready. Once chicken has cooled off. Use finger or fork, shred the meat off the bone. Discard bone. Set meat aside.

Prepare garnish: 

chopped green onion, mint leaves, coriander

 1 handful fresh bean sprouts

                                                                1 tablespoon soy bean
                                                                     2 lime wedges
                                                     1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

To serve: Ladle rice porridge into a large bowl. Add toppings (cooked shredded chicken, chopped spring onions, bean sprouts, fresh chopped mint/coriander leaves, chili oil, fried garlic, fermented soy bean) You could also add dried shrimp powder if you want.

My recipe for Cambodian Vegetable Fried Rice.

I have finished a scrap book and besides cooking and reading, I love to sketch. So I have been sketching a lot lately. I bought myself some art pencils, sketch book, binders, plastic covers. My son wants to take my art book to school and show it off. I can't let that happen because I'm afraid I would never see my art book ever again. 

Here are some of my sketches.

 Tom Brady.

 One of my favorite shows. Absolutely Fabulous. Edina & Patsy.

 Mr. Miyagi

Myself and my life. The reason why I sketched the TV with maxi pads is because of this photo....

 Sketched my kids.

 Castaway

 One of my daughters who loves cookies.

 Elaine from Seinfeld.

 Christopher Walken

 Cosmo Kramer

Beck Hansen

 Gilligan

Dean Norris as Big Jim from the TV show Under the dome. I love that show.

Besides my blabbing. Today I made a simple/quick Cambodian vegetable egg fried rice. It's pretty tasty. You can adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Here is my recipe.

3 eggs. Slightly beaten

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 1/2 cups cooked cold jasmine rice. I cooked the day before.

1 cup frozen peas/carrots/corn mix. Defrosted

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a wok or non stick skillet on high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Pour the eggs into the wok, form into a round omelet shape. Transfer omelet to a plate and cut into thin strips. Set a side.

With the same wok, add the remaining oil. Add garlic and cook for a minute, stir in rice. Add in frozen vegetables. Stir well until vegetables are cooked for about 5-7 minutes.

Add cut omelet,

Seasoned egg fried rice with soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir well. 

Top with chopped spring onions. Serve with Sriracha hot chili sauce.

You could also add to the fried rice meat of your choice, Chinese sausages, shrimps.

Thanks for reading my venting and I hope you make and enjoy my recipe.

Cambodian food during the weekend

During the weekend I craved for Cambodian food and their is no Cambodian restaurant in Oslo or any part of Norway. 

I'm Cambodian and I'll make my Cambodian food. So I had made fried rice, with leftover Cambodian steaks I made the other day, cold jasmine rice, bean sprouts, onions, garlic, green onions, etc...

My husband told me when we were dating, he had tried to make fried rice once. It didn't go so well because he didn't cook the rice before hand. So he poured in the rice with cooked vegetables and meat. He told me  it was hard to chew and the rice was hard. I told him you have to use cold cooked rice. 

When he came to the Untied States back in 2003, he had his first bagel. He just ate it how it was. I looked at him while he took his last bite, I told him the last minute. " Did you know it taste better if you toast it." His face reaction was priceless. "You tell me this now!" He was thinking do Americans really like eating raw bagels. I said, "Only if it's toasted with cream cheese, jam, ham, eggs, or bacon. I couldn't stop laughing. Ever since then he knows how to make fried rice and toast his bagels.

For my Cambodian marinade for steaks

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 stalks green onion, chopped

3 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce or Maggie seasoning sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon palm sugar

1 1/2 lb sirloin beef

ground black pepper and salt

ground ginger

all round seasoning

In a container combine and whisk the first 6 ingredients. Add in beef and seasoned with pepper, salt, ginger, all round seasoning. Cover container and shake well. Place in refrigerator, let marinade for 4 hours before cooking. 

 I made a Khmer dipping sauce Tirk Pahok( spicy pickle fish dipping sauce) This goes well with my steaks and vegetables. My mom told me, this sauce would make me break out but it didn't. My husband was skeptic about the sauce but I told him you have to try it, just don't let the name and the look gross you out. It really does taste good. He tried it and he was surprise it tasted good.

I also made Cambodian chicken spring rolls. I was going to use ground pork but they didn't have any ground pork in stock at the near by grocery store. I was told this was one of the best spring rolls I've made. 

For my fried rice

2 tablespoon coconut oil

3 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red Thai pepper, minced

Left over steaks 

1 cup cooked jasmine rice

1/2 cup bean sprouts

 plain 4 egg omelet, sliced

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

2 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 or 1 tablespoon sugar

2 stalk green onions, chopped

In a wok heat up oil to medium/high heat, when oil is hot add/stir in garlic, onions, pepper. Add in steaks stir and cook for 4 minutes, stir in cooked rice, bean sprouts, omelet. Stir well. Season with bouillon, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add chopped green onions. Mix everything well and it's ready to be serve. 

Superman logo sandwich

It's Wednesday soon to be Thursday, then a blink of an eye, Friday + weekend. It has been quite busy early this week. I don't even know how I even made it through the days. Lately I have been drinking a lot of coffee. I've never liked coffee up until recently. After the long summer holiday, everything is back to normal. My son is back in school, my husband's working more, and I'm going to reopen my kitchen again.
Anyways, I had made Superman logo sandwich (ham, cheese, Jarlsberg cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise). I had no salami for the symbol so I used ham.

I drew Superman, Batman, and Yoda for my son's book covers all I need is some contact paper.

Pineapple marinade

 Look who's laying on a bed of salad.....a Minion. I made this for my son's school lunch. 

I noticed living in Norway, weekends always seem to go by very fast. Monday mornings are mostly brutal. My husband was not feeling well during the night because of something he had ate during the weekend and I didn't sleep well at all because I was taking care of him. 

My son started 2nd grade today. He got to see all his old classmates. He already got invited to a birthday party. It was a bittersweet moment watching him start 2nd grade. He was so happy and he is so excited for tomorrow. 

For dinner today was Polynesian night. I found a great recipe for Shrimp pineapple fried rice 

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Pineapple-shrimp-brown-fried-rice-351938?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=pagepost&utm_content=yummly&utm_campaign=Pineapple-shrimp-brown-fried-rice-351938

I added some extra corn, mango, and a little citrus to the fried rice. I made pineapple marinade for my pork chops. This helped my husband, just something light. 

For marinade

1 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

teaspoon garlic salt

freshly ground black pepper

tablespoon oil

In a bowl add all ingredients and whisk well. Place pork chops in a container, pour marinade, and cover. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Before grilling, frying, or baking season with a little more freshly ground black pepper.

Easy cheescake dip

Yippie, it's Friday! It's been a while since I last posted. It's finally quiet because my kids are with their father at his work and I'm alone with my youngest one. Anyways, the other day I was craving strawberries and cheesecake. I was too tired to bake. I wanted to make something quick without eggs and flour. I'm not into eggs as much as my family. 

Just 5 ingredients to make a very easy and tasty cheesecake dip. So I made this delicious cheesecake dip which vanished before my eyes. My kids and my husband ate it less than 5 minutes. The next time I'll make this when I'm home alone. 

Instead of using sour cream, I used Kesem. I google translate for kesem which in English means curd. My husband told me it's much healthier than sour cream and it's a Swedish thing. So I tried it, taste better than sour cream, healthier, and cheaper. 

Ingredients for easy cheesecake dip

2/3 cup Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup Vanilla Kesem (vanilla curd)

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla powder sugar

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large bowl combined first 4 ingredients, with an electric whisk, whisk until semi smooth. Then drizzle lemon juice and whisk again for a minute or two. Top with any crumble cookies or crushed graham crackers and serve as dip or make cheesecake with it. 

During this week.....

Last week we took a little trip to Sweden to buy grocery. It's so stressful shopping in Sweden because it's so many people during the summer. A lot of Norwegian shopping in Sweden. It's like Canadians shopping in United States. I can't stand the long lines, the rudeness, people blocking their carts, carts in the middle of the aisle, pushing cart behind my ankle, cutting in line and bad drivers. But it's cheaper to buy grocery. If Norway would lower their taxes and prices than I have no reason to go to Sweden. Sweden has more varieties on produce/meat/others than in Norway. If I could I would love to live in the border between Sweden and Norway. There is a limit on how much food you can buy to bring back to Norway. It's 10 kilo per person. 

When I lived in Maine, I would go to New Hampshire to buy my grocery because it's cheaper, their is no limit, and tax free (the last time I remembered).

 #1 reason why I go to Sweden is because they have a lot of varieties on American products and it's way cheaper. I get homesick often and seeing the American aisle makes me happy.

What I miss most about Maine, is the red hot dogs. Instead of Maine red hot dogs I bought a package of Danish red hot dogs. Taste almost like Maine. They use to sell red hot dogs in the Norwegian grocery stores but I haven't seen any since 2008. 

 Today I made something special for family dinner. Creamy Prosciutto stuffed steak rolls. 

 The filling I made for my steaks (chopped prosciutto, chopped chorizo, spinach, diced tomatoes, cream cheese, shredded Swedish cheese, spinach)

I stuffed my steaks with the filling I had made, rolled, wrapped with spekeskinke, and secured with wooden pin. Pan seared.....

With left over juices in the pan from the steak rolls I made it into creamy sauce. Which went very well. I served with pasta with light cream, spinach, green beans. My whole family loved it.

These are Danish red hot dogs which I steamed. Isn't it similar to the Maine red hot dogs?

 Wrapped with Norwegian lompe. Kids favorite.

Smoked ham and Angus roast hoagies.

Slow cooked hickory smoked chipotle BBQ pull chicken.

For breakfast the other day I made smoked ham, Danish bacon, Gouda cheese, and egg in a cup, baked in a muffin maker.

I miss Maine strawberries too but these Swedish strawberries were so sweet and delicious. It taste just like Norwegian strawberries. My husband actually admits that Swedish berries are good.