LilSugar

Junior JetSet: A Theme Park for the Entire Family

babysugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:00:06 PDT

An amusement park for parents and children? Take me to it! Whether your child watches Sesame Street religiously or is a casual viewer, Sesame Place is destination for families looking for adventure this summer.

Located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, the park features more than 30 attractions, including a dozen water rides, three live shows (including a live production of Elmo’s World), daily parades and visits from the entire Sesame crew. Unlike other parks we have reviewed, Sesame Place is designed for the seven and under crowd, meaning even toddlers are welcome on most rides.

To see what makes Sesame Place special,

Inspired by the show’s characters, there are kiddie versions of the traditional pirate ship ride, an airplane ride, a brand new carousel, a simulated hot air balloon and the requisite tea cups.

But, he real action is over at the water rides, where you can take a leisurely inner-tube ride down Big Bird’s 1,000 foot Rambling River or swiftly glide though a system of water slides on a large raft with up to six of your nearest and dearest friends on the Sky Splash.

The highlight of the trip for most visitors is the interaction with the Sesame characters. Throughout the day, the monsters wander around posing for pictures, giving out hugs and putting smiles small faces.

The park is clean, smoke-free and of a manageable size. Bathrooms, with multiple changing tables, can be found throughout the park, and rarely have lines. The only downside of the park is their ticket policy, which requires all visitors over the age of 2 (adults and children) to pay the full ticket price of $48 per person.

Know Your Ingredients: Bamboo Shoots

Sara Yoo — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:36:52 PDT

On my last trip to Tokyo, we hit up a tiny place known for its spicy tonkotsu ramen, those famous skinny noodles topped with a hearty pork bone broth. The guys behind the counter shouted a counting rhyme as they deftly assembled each element of each serving, and when my teeming bowl appeared before me, I was thrilled to see a heaping pile of seasoned bamboo shoots atop the noodles. It's Spring, which means that the crunchy shoots are once again in season, and I can't wait to simmer my own batch for some seasonal stir-fries and soups.

Bamboozled by this Asian ingredient? Keep reading to learn more.

Hwae Dup Bap (Korean Sashimi Salad)

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:26:00 PST

As a self-professed experienced eater, Yoo Eatz tells us the story of her introduction to Korean food, and, boy, does it sound delicious.

By the time I entered college, I thought of myself as a rather experienced eater. Born and raised in a multicultural family in the San Francisco Bay Area, I had been exposed to all sorts of foods from the get-go and was rarely fazed by anything "weird" (Chicken feet? Sure. Alligator tail? No problem. Crab innards? Give it to me over rice.) And my young adult self was certain that there was no cuisine I had yet to conquer.

Then I met the guy who is now my husband, and he proceeded to rock my world with the marvels of Korean food. Yeah, I had experienced plenty of barbecue and jjigaes (stews) by then, but one night he took me to a Korean-owned sushi joint tucked away in a tiny Oakland strip mall, and he ordered us two heaping bowls of hwae dup bap that seriously changed my life.

According to my loose understanding of the Korean language, hwae dup bap translates to raw fish over rice, and while it lacks the orchestrated beauty of Japanese chirashi, you can think of it as chirashi's untamed cousin. Everyone has their own version of this dish (my husband remembers his mom making a simple version with just sashimi and rice for church picnics), but the general equation is as follows (from the bottom up): sushi rice, greens, chopped raw fish, fish roe, and a quail egg, drizzled with sesame oil and a vinegary gochujang sauce. It's refreshing, light, but incredibly filling, and it will change the way you think about sashimi. The Japanese girl in me still enjoy a slice of toro delicately dabbed in shoyu and fresh wasabi, but my newfound Korean side absolutely melts for hwae dup bap.

I based this recipe on our spot in the East Bay which included seaweed salad to round out its from-the-sea flavor. If you have access to good quality sashimi and an Asian grocery store, then you'll have all the ingredients you need for this explosive dish.

For the recipe, read on.

Momofuku-Style Cherry Tomato Salad With Soft Tofu and Shiso

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:30:27 PST

Even in the dark, Yoo Eatz's recipe for a cherry tomato, soft tofu, and shiso salad looks pretty incredible.

When I was about 2 years old, my best friend in the whole world was Jon. He was 6 months younger, but a whole head taller than me, and while I was very quiet and shy, he could wail loud enough for the both of us (or so my mom says). Where I would scamper, he would lumber. One of the only things we seemed to agree upon was that pigeons were meant for chasing (we're city kids), but despite our differences, we were practically inseparable: JonJon and SaSa. Then his family moved down the Peninsula, and our paths wouldn't again cross until much later.

My apologies for the blurry, dark photo. It was late, and I was hungry.

In college, my Jon was my buddy Kevin. Again, he was the outgoing one, and quiet little me always seemed to be tagging along to his parties. His social sphere was only slightly smaller than the campus population, whereas I tended to stick to a very small circle of friends. So it was a strange twist of fate when I found out that Kevin and Jon were close friends, having met through the university's crew team.

Fast-forward about 15 years to last weekend when we hosted Jon, Kevin, and their awesome wives for a little dinner party conceived through my Momofuku cookbook. We enjoyed an upscale ssam dinner (Korean barbecue served as make-your-own lettuce wraps) with kalbi-style New York strip and grilled pork belly and an insalata Caprese-inspired cherry tomato salad that I was dying to try. Rather than nesting the tomatoes on soft disks of mozzarella, Chang substitutes silken tofu and replaces zesty strips of basil with equally pungent Japanese shiso.

Keep reading for a wintry take on the Caprese salad.

A Reader Recipe: Asian Peanut Noodle Salad

Fit Community — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:48:49 PST

We love healthy versions of our favorite takeout foods, and so does FitSugar reader For The Love of Fiber, who posted this recipe for Asian peanut noodle salad in our Healthy Recipe group.

Here’s a nice vegetarian entrée with a healthy dose of fiber and tons of antioxidant-rich veggies! Inspired by a recipe I found in Shape Magazine a few years back, it’s really tasty and makes great leftovers for lunch. If you’re on a budget, peanuts can be substituted for macadamia nuts – no one will think any less of you. And if your preference is meat, swap out the tofu for some chicken breast. Serve with steamed broccoli and you have yourself a taste of the Far East in the comfort of your own home, minus the MSG. And I made this with Mara's Pasta - quite possibly the best-tasting whole wheat pasta on the planet. It's brand new and doesn't taste like cardboard. Pretty awesome.

Use organic ingredients when possible, particularly if you’re going meat-free with the tofu. Look for a quality brand that is organic and GMO-free. It’s worth the extra money.

Read on for the recipe.

Macarons

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:22:23 PDT

Love macarons? Then you'll enjoy OnSugar blog Yoo Eatz's recipe for black sesame macarons.

Relationships often have early omens that signal whether they are meant to last. When I met my husband in college, it was clear that our mutual love for Star Wars (I know, I know -- nerd alert!), amusement parks, late night runs to Jack in the Box, and practice of couch potatoism were harbingers of a long life together. But oddly enough, what sealed the deal was meeting his parents. It happened at an elegant Chinese banquet restaurant over the largest meal you have ever seen. His dad took charge ordering for the four of us, and soon four 5-course meals appeared followed by five or six additional heaping platters. We had so much food, the waiters couldn't fit it all on our table. We had so much food, boxing it up in doggie bags seemed like a futile effort. We had so much food, his mom got violently ill later that night. I knew I was in love with him, but I guess I kind of sort of fell in love with them, too.

Then I met his sister, and all of the pieces fell into place. She shares my love of baking (though she shares their dad's scientific curiosity and patience, whereas I am impatient and want it to work the first time), and within the last few years took up the task of creating the perfect macaron. Mind you, she has been a full time grad student living on her own in NYC, so where she finds the time I have no idea. But her creations are lovely, and while she was visiting this past week, she taught me her fine art.

The recipe and tips for making macarons right this way.

Let's Rock Elmo Sings and Dances Its Way Onto Holiday Hot Lists

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:31:47 PDT

In the 15 years since Tickle Me Elmo was introduced to the market, adults and kids alike have been taken with the lil red monster's infectious laugh. With each additional version of the toy, Elmo's increasingly more complex movements and sounds have continued to make it one of the hottest toys each holiday season. Now, with Hasbro taking over the Sesame Street toy line, the company is introducing Let's Rock Elmo ($59), the latest, most complex Elmo to hit store shelves. The toy has already been named the hot toy of the year by Toys R Us, but should it top your holiday shopping list? Keep reading to see what I thought.

Who is this product designed for? Made for tots over 2 years old, Let's Rock Elmo is fun for kids up to 5 years old or really any age that is still taken with Elmo's charm.

What sets it apart? More than simply a doll that sings and tells stories, Let's Rock Elmo actually plays two instruments - drums and tambourine - and sings into a microphone, "recognizing" them as they are placed in his hands or under his feet each time. When Elmo's not using one of the included instruments, lil one's can play with them or join in with him on one of the six songs in his repertoire. Three additional instruments that are all sold separately - a guitar ($35), a keyboard ($20), and a working microphone ($15) - are also recognized by Elmo, so when kids pick them up and play them in Elmo's vicinity, he'll join in the new song.

Keep reading to see what could be better and if I would buy it.

Cooking Channel's Ching He Huang Talks Chinese Food

Susannah Chen — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 04:09:49 PDT

When the Cooking Channel first launched last year, I was thrilled to find that the lineup included a show called Chinese Food Made Easy - up until that point, the only Chinese cooking shows I'd seen were reruns of Martin Yan's Yan Can Cook. Its host, a fresh, upbeat face named Ching He Huang, had appeared in a slew of cooking shows in the UK, where she's widely recognized for reinventions of her favorite Chinese dishes.

Today marks the Cooking Channel premiere of Huang's second season for the show, which is now titled Easy Chinese: San Francisco. In preparation, Ching spent six weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area. I caught up with her in the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown, and in between cups of medicinal herbal tea, she shared her thoughts on why China's multifaceted flavors will be the next big thing. See more when you keep reading.

17 Handy Apps and Sites For Kids to Use This Summer

LilSugar — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:59 PDT

School's out for Summer, and handheld entertainment devices can help fill and save the busy day. If yours is a high-tech home, check out our picks for online video sites, pre-K apps, and social networking sites that will keep your children entertained, engaged, and learning when school isn't in session.

5 Great Places to Find Online Videos For Kids - Every mom has heard the stories about kids wandering onto unsavory sites, but you never think you have to worry about preschoolers. My family used to make a game out of searching YouTube for videos of our favorite characters, but our game came to a quick end one night when my older son selected a seemingly harmless Elmo video that turned out to be a hijacked version of his favorite Sesame Street character featuring words that I don't need my tykes to hear. The experience had me searching for alternatives to the ubiquitous online video site. Here are the best five I've found.
7 Great Social Networking Sites That Are Just For Kids - If your tot or tween has been begging for the ability to update her status, there are many safe, kid-specific social networks to choose from. These sites follow the regulations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which regulates how much personal information sites can ask from children, among other things. Check out the list of the top social networking sites for kids.
5 iPhone Apps to Keep Preschoolers Learning This Summer - Continue to fill lil noggins with information. Children can lose up to two months of knowledge over their Summer breaks, but moms can reverse that trend with their favorite piece of technology. The iPhone's sleek design masks learning opportunities as entertainment, and these fun, educational apps will teach tots a few new things.

Snack Attack: Make Your Own Hummus

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:30:00 PST

You can buy hummus just about anywhere these days, but nothing compares to the taste when it's freshly made. And it's really easy to make - the hardest part is buying all of the ingredients.

What You'll Need:

1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (you can always use more)
1 - 2 tbsp tahini (it's made out of ground up sesame seeds)
Juice from 1/3 of a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a blender for a few minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Serve in a bowl with fresh vegetables and sliced pita bread. Or even better, try it with homemade pita chips. This would also be a great snack to have while watching the Super Bowl.

Fit's Tips: This is a basic recipe, so play around with it - add your own special ingredients like grated carrots or artichoke hearts.