Making Chi Chi Dango

Later today Jack strapped on his apron alongside with me to make another mochiko-based treat.  Chi Chi Dango is a Hawaiian treat that we made using this recipe.  Now here's a step by step with lots of photos!

Dump a box of mochiko in a big bowl.

All of it.

Add sugar.

Add baking powder.

Stir.

Practice some words.

Pause to each a red bean mochi.

Add water.

Add a can of coconut milk.

Measure and add vanilla.

While one person whisks...

The other sings "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes!"

Butter a casserole dish.

Add the final ingredient: food coloring.  First he picked green.

He saw how fun it was to make colors.

So he insisted on blue too.  He wanted yellow next but I said two is enough.

Mix and pour.

Keep pouring!

Get it all!

Cover with tin foil.

Put in the oven at 350 for one hour, and say "Bake More?"

After baking it has to cool completely before being cut and rolled in potato starch, kind of like homemade marshmallows.  I did this after Jack's bedtime. 

Two kinds of mochi packed for Ben to take to work. 

Making Mochi

I have not found a source in Denver for fresh mochi.  So I made my own!

 I'll consider this attempt and experiment.  The results will not convert anyone to loving mochi.  But I think I can improve upon it.

I used a combination of these two recipes. 

• Boil 1 cup water with 1/4 cup sugar
• Add 3 drops red food coloring (which was too much, see below)
• Dump in 1 cup mochiko flour
• Stir like crazy
• Dump onto prepared cutting board (potato starch all over it)
• Tear off pieces, pinch around filling, roll in starch

It took minutes to make!  So easy, so tempting to try again already. 

I used canned An (sweetened red bean paste) and froze it to make portioning and wrapping easier.  Apparently Jack will eat spoonful after spoonful of An.  Weirdo. 

However, I'm glad I waited until nap time to make this.  The dough is warm-to-hot and you have to work fast.  Also, with no baking step, it's extra important that no dirty little hands get in the dough. 

I got the ingredients at Viet-Hoa, an Asian grocery store on Alameda.  

Next time:

• Less food coloring. 1-2 drops is plenty.
• Flavor the dough.  I wonder how they make strawberry in the bakery?
• Figure out the best filling to wrap ratio.
• Vary the filling.  Chocolate? Nutella? Fruit? Maybe use these instructions with pistachios?

Perks of having a nanny

We come home after long hours to a happy, rested, entertained boy.

 The house is tidy, the floors are cleared.   Jack's play area is even organized.

The lasagna we left is cooked and cooling on counter.

The dog is walked and content.

Oh, and dishes are done.

It's much, much better than a daycare would have been.

PLUS! All of that happened while Jack works through ANOTHER cold. (I blame this one on the flu shot he got Friday.)

Need I remind you that a daycare would not have taken him today, necessitating one of us missing work?

So much better with a nanny.

Swings

This mom thing is pretty nice.

Yay for Downton!

Oh, this is fantastic. Ben's steaming UK set up is working wonderfully. I love watching this show on its proper schedule. It's even fun watching the british "adverts."

Building a Truck

The safety glasses came for this project.  Ben was at Lowes and they were having a free kids project.  Jack was a little wary and close to his naptime, but the store let him take home all this gear for free!  Today Ben and Jack built the truck:

Safety first

Return of the Bread

Bake!

 Jack loves to help me bake.  Today I was making pizza for dinner, so I invited him to help assemble the pies.  What a helper!  He stretched, squashed, rolled, and smushed the dough.  He spread the sauce and licked the spoon.  He sprinkled cheese and herbs.  He placed pepperoni perfectly.  The only problem was when we were done he cried because he wanted to make more!  Don't get between this boy and an apron. 

Accidental sideways camera by Ben.  But I like it, it's kind of artsy.

Playing Tourist in Denver

Discovering a cool museum in our own town made us feel like tourists in our own city.  We decided on a restaurant in LoDo near the ballpark called Biker Jim's Dogs.  Of course Ben chose an exotic dog made of rattlesnake and pheasant topped with cactus and a Malaysian jam.  I chose a much more boring all beef dog, Jim's Classic style with cream cheese and grilled onions.  Their baked beans were really good, and probably the best fried mac and cheese I've ever ordered.  I was really excited to see a Boylan's soda fountain too. 

After lunch we walked a few blocks to Sakura Square.  On the way we saw a strange group bicycle:

And some funny street art:

 

At the Pacific Mercantile Company I entertained Jack so Ben could find some ramen and Japanese spices.  

I also found some goodies:

I wonder if these will be any good.  The one I tried in San Francisco came out of a box too.  Next week we have plans to visit Boulder.  I have my sights set on Smooch.  Their mochi ice cream looks heavenly and I can't wait to try several. 

It was so fun to play in Denver today!  I learned some cool things (did you know Denver had three cable car lines in the 1880s?  We saw a cable car at the museum from Denver), and it reminded me that there's a lot to explore in our own town still.  It's even possible to sight see with a toddler.  (Jack was angelic for the outing, even putting his hands in pockets while wandering the museum.  He only needed occasional reminders to behave.)  Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mochi ball calling my name.

Forney museum 3

Forney museum 2