Happy Heart Day-One Day Later

A day later and I'm still enjoying the happy feelings a family day provides.  Since our girls were little we've celebrated Valentine's day as a family day.  Never the same thing twice.  (I do like traditions, but too many can create expectations and hurt feelings when those expectations are not met.  Sounds like a therapy session to me.)  This year, we spent the weekend visiting with grandparents and Kelsie at school and then celebrated our Valentine's day making sushi.

We've always enjoyed eating sushi but never made it at home.  I was always a little intimidated.   We received a sushi book and bamboo mat in a kit for Christmas last year.  I put it on the shelf because I thought it would be impossible to do in my kitchen.  Boy was I wrong.  I finally decided we should at least try.  I read the book and then watched videos online.  We could try the california roll and what's the worse that could happen?

I gathered the ingredients, nothing too crazy:  

sushi rice, seaweed sheets, cucumbers, avocado and imitation crab sticks, etc.  

Wow, how easy and fun to make these at home.  We all took a turn.  

First you cut up the filler items into thin sticks.  

We chose crab sticks, cucumber and avocado.

Cover the bamboo mat with plastic wrap to keep it clean.

Place one seaweed sheet on the mat.

Put rice on seaweed sheet.  

Hint:  Rub mayo on your hands to keep the rice from sticking to your hands.

Sprinkle sesame seeds on the rice and then flip the sheet to the other side.

Add filler items.

Then roll the filled seaweed over and use the mat to form the roll and pull it tight.

Cut the roll into 8 bite-size pieces.

We also made home-made egg drop soup and steamed edamame 

and set the table with a little asian accent.

What a nice night to celebrate family.  Kelsie dear, we missed you but know you enjoyed your surf and turf in the school cafeteria.  : )  Meagan, what a fun time with our food-making project.  Mason, congrats on finishing your skating lessons and moving on to hockey.  Michael, thanks for the beautiful roses to go with the beautiful family that God has entrusted to us.  Love you all!