Skinny rules!

So I am on pinterest all the time, but I never pin anything because I just keep my links in my own google doc.  I have to first check out the recipe before I know if I will like it - the pic is just there to entice (btw I cant believe how many blogs and amateur cooking sites there are now!).

Anyway, I came across this gem tonight.  20 rules to be skinny?!  Sounds like a lot.  I can already rule out a number of these "rules"- rule out as in it's not even worth trying.  Obvs #2 unless they invent diet wine sometime soon, this is not happening.  No carbs after lunch def a no go.  And who wants to go to bed hungry?  The apples and berries is def not happening either, Bob.  Those are like rare delicacies in Aus!  A small container of blueberries is $8!  Yes, I am not lying, the little one! Prolly the only these rules I have mastered are 8 and 20.  Oh and prolly 15.  What would Bob think of Roll it up:  Spring Roll Fang Zi?  I think it would be banned after lunch time.  Not cool.

Roll it up

I will start running again this week.
I will start running again this week.
I will start running again, ok! day after tomorrow!

I have been unemployed the last 4 weeks with only my visa application to entertain me.  I mean that was enough, I will post some pics tomorrow of the final product, but you would think I would be using the opportunity to work on my fitness.  But I am in this funk where I absolutely hate the gym and it's become too hot/humid to run outside.  I also hate my ipod and every single gym song on there.  Ok, I don't hate the ipod, but the running jams.  (btw you know what I hate and maybe some can relate?  When the total jam comes out and I put it on running mix and then the song is ruined because when I hear it, I associate it with pain and misery! The worst!  For this reason, I try not to put new jams on running mix.)  Anyway, instead of working out, chunkaaa's been cooking (obvs).  I have made so many new things the past 4 weeks, including 5 kinds of homemade spring rolls.  What I am finding in my spring roll research and experimentation, is that basically anything you enjoy eating, can be made into a spring roll.  So, Al's Casa de Cupcakes y Burritos is out...  Roll it up: Spring Roll Fang Zi is hot for '13 (fang zi is house in chinese :) )  Roll it up will sell only spring rolls - I am thinking it's a truck or some sort.  But the possibilities are endless!  This week I made Italian (aka pizza rolls) and Mexican spring rolls (aka mini burrito).  Also made traditional with pork, with chicken, and vegetarian.  Next I might try the breakfast spring roll -- eggs, bacon, and potatoes! They can be deep fried, baked, or fresh (rice paper wrapper, my personal preference).  Also want to experiment with the dessert spring roll, which might involve some kind of cake.  I know what you're all thinking, this is genius!  Well, dont steal my idea bitches!  I am onto something here :-P

Obvs you know there will be a Darwin NT spring roll with mud crab in it.  Crabbing continues to be action packed.  I was just chillin in the house on Sunday when Jason came home with a major emergency -- there were 3 crabs in the crab pot. I wanted nothing to do with fishing those fuckers out, so Lee went down to help him.  Well, unexpected turn of events in crabbing is that these crabs had fought each other in the cage and one were majorly fucked up!  The biggest, feistiest one we called Monster.  Monster was a beast, MASSIVE claws.  He had beat the shit out of one crab so badly that he had cracked his top shell and caused damage to the bottom body.  The crab ended up dying an hour later, luckily there was a neighbor who was eager to have him for lunch.  And wouldnt you know it, the crab with one claw from last week was back in the game, getting caught in the pot again!  He had also battled with Monster, so we figured just cook him.  That left just Monster with us and he was not fucking around.  We fed him chicken wings to keep him busy but every time someone tried to move him, it was on.  Jason brought Monster to work and sold him to someone, hahaha.  Another business venture!

Also wondering if anyone has made any version of the cauliflower pizza crust that is all over pinterest?  This seems like something I would make, but would come out terrible.  I picture it to be soggy or flimsy. I would need to be able to pass it off as regular crust too because I just don't see this going over well with dudes.  Any recommendations?

Mud crab

You've probably never heard of mud crabs before because I had never until I moved to the NT.  But mud crab is HUGE here.  One crab sells for like 35$.  Anyway, a couple weeks ago, Jason decided that he was going to take up a new hobby of catching these damn crabs.  We went out and bought a "crab pot" which is basically just a trap.  You put some bait in there, crab comes in to get the bait, crab cant get out.  Alternatively, and what happens most of the time, put some bait in there, fish/birds eat the bait, crab never goes in...lol.

Anyway, we didnt have too high of expectations for this.  Or should I say, I didnt have high expectations, Jason is obsessed.  I hate these damn crabs.  First off, they are massive and wicked ugly.  Secondly, these fuckers are fiesty and effing strong!  Their claw can TAKE OFF A FINGER!  No joke.  So obvs I am scared of them.  When they get stressed, they will drop a claw to get away - such as if they attack you.  The claw will stay on you and the crab will drop it and run.  You cant get the claw off!  I am not interested in this...

Michie court is right built near the marina and just across the street are marshes - aka mud crab village.  First day Jason threw the crab pot into the water, BAM he caught this friend!

Only thing is, we didn't know what the fuck to do with him. So we ended up just putting him back.  And we are pretty sure he ended up dying because we saw a pretty big dead crab there the next day.  Sorry little guy.

After that, no crabs for like a week.  Jason was back and forth to the stupid trap 3 times a day and was getting depressed.  Every time the bait was gone and there was no crab.  I talked to a friend of mine here who catches these things and she said to keep the trap on the rocks.  Ever since then, crabs.  On Saturday, Jason went to the trap not "just for fun" not expecting anything and there was a huge crab in there! He comes running home to get his "tools" aka scissors and a cooler and hurries back to crab pot.  20 mins later, he shows up covered in mud and bleeding.  "Is the crab in the cooler?"  I ask.  Nope, just one claw.  After what he calls an "epic battle" the crab dropped its claw and ran away.  LOLOLOL, obvs I laughed but he was less amused.

The next day, bam nother crab!  This time instead of trying to remove the crab from the trap, he just brought the entire trap back to the house (awesome).  This crab was also not coming out of the trap.  After 20 mins of trying to get it out, we dumped ice on him and he "went to sleep."

As you know with shellfish, you have just 2 choices: cook them alive or kill them and then cook them immediately.  We researched online, and the "humane" way to do it is to put the crab in the freezer for 45-60 mins and the crab goes unconscious.  So next thing you know, there is a big ass crab in the freezer.  You don't want to keep it in there too long or it will freeze to death.  Next is the real fun part.  You have to cut the crab in half, rip off the top shell, and clean out all the guts before you can cook it.  Obvs were fighting about who was going to do this.  I was scared shitless the fucker was going to wake up and start attacking me.  Keep in mind, we were too scared to try to bind the claws.  In the end, Jason was the unlucky one who had to cut the crab in half.  I was less terrified after that and we both cleaned him out (talk about gross).

And here is the finished product!  I cooked it "Asian style" (Gangnam style?) and cracked the shells open and cooked in the wok with garlic and chili peppers.  Came out pretty nice, but was a ton of work!  I am hoping no mud crabs come along for a while...  Funniest part is, Jason -- after all that work -- didnt even like it!

And that is my life in Darwin.  Pos next I will catch a croc.  

return of the wet

UGHHHH WET SEASON!  And it's already that time of year again.  The tell tale signs of wet season are here:  my skin is a mess, my hair has dried up (don't know why this happens), I am constantly sweating, and the motherfucking ants are back.  Ants are especially bad in my room!  I can't even keep a bedside water glass because ants are all over that shit.  I feel like it's last year all over again!

Speaking of, less than 2 weeks and it's my one year anniversary down under. Not sure what to make of it. It's been a good but hard year.  It went by pretty fast, but everything seems to be going by fast these days.  A week and a half until I submit the dreaded visa app!  It looks really out of hand now, but I feel like there is more stuff I could have in there!  My favorite is the "evidence of genuine and continuing relationship" requirement. Basically, throw as much shit in there as you can to show you are not making this relationship up.  So lame!  I feel like there can never be enough!  Anyway, I am super nervous.