Merry Christmas/2016 recap!

Hello dear friends and family,

What a year this has been. We are happy to be saving the trees this year by sending our Christmas message to you via the wonderful internet. No need to congratulate us, we are just doing our part.

Enjoy this obligatory family newsletter! (But do keep that more interesting browser tab open just in case).

Pippa turned 5 this year and both graduated from preschool and started kindergarten, both of which she absolutely loved and thrived in. Her teachers have been exceptional. As a result she is learning how to be kind to others and socialize in meaningful, positive ways. These skills are huge building blocks to her life and we couldn't be more grateful for the examples she has. This year she also took swimming lessons, went camping with mom and dad, had many play dates with friends, participated in the primary program, visited California, Seattle and Chicago, read many books and saw her first movie in the theater. She continues to amaze us with her brilliance and bravery. She can beat both her parents at the game "Set" and proved impressively composed and calm than when getting her flu shot. She says her favorite memory of this year was having Thanksgiving with her cousins.

Micah has managed to keep his job at Utah Valley Hospital in inpatient psychiatry; a job that has been both rewarding and intense.  But those are two things that describe Micah pretty well, don't you think? There really isn't anybody that can handle the demands of it better than Micah. This year the hospital offered him the medical director position, which mostly entails scheduling and responding to ~1000 e-mails a day. This isn't as enjoyable to him as his work with his patients, which is the real butter to Micah's bread. It is a good match for both Intermountain Healthcare, a company in need of psychiatrists, and Micah, a hard-working and qualified individual. Thankfully, however, his life does not revolve solely around his work, as there are an endless amount of activities that appeal to Micah. This summer he built and maintained an excellent garden, as well as installed/fixed a countless number of things around our home. He acquired a barbecue smoker which has helped him produce some of the most incredible meat we've ever made. He is also very invested in Pippa's development and play, and has taught her many board and video games, as well as helped her with her school endeavors. He hopes to find even more fulfillment outside of work as he continues striving for that balance that so many doctors hear about, but have a difficult time achieving.

Betsy completed her bachelor's degree this spring with a BA in Visual Arts. After following Micah around for years, she was able to finish what she started at BYU. She was happy to never have to take American Heritage ever again, even though it proved more interesting than she would have guessed--and she aced it! School was also interesting in that she found some wonderful people to befriend among her fellow students and professors. As she frequently says, BYU is a unique place. She barely took any time off before establishing a ceramics studio. This was quite a learning experience as she searched out just the right kiln and wheel. She was able to find a fantastic space in Provo and was able to share it with another ceramic artist. She is now working to get the kiln set up, but once it is, watch out world! It is exciting to see her find her voice as an artist. Betsy continues to be the most amazing mother that Pippa could ever wish for. She is also providing fun experiences and helping Pippa discover who she is. Pippa's teachers have remarked on how kind and friendly she is--She definitely gets that from her mother! In general, however, Betsy has continued to show her skills in flexibility. Micah's work schedule is never regular and there always seems to be something that unexpectedly comes up--whether it is a middle of the night phone call, or a meeting on a "day off." Betsy continues to roll with the uncertainty of life and continues to keep the Croft household all in one piece.

This time of year our lives are strengthened by the hope of Christ's example. We know we are not perfect people but are ever searching for ways to spread hope and love to everyone we meet. This Christmas we hope that you, our friends and family, are able to find goodness and joy. To us the greatest success in life is to be counted among your friends, and we are honored to have a place in the lives of so many wonderful people.

Merry Christmas and a wonderful, happy New Year!

Micah, Betsy, and Pippa


Photos taken by Emma Huntington.

A Letter to My 5 Year-Old Daughter

I’m writing this after having taken a hot hot shower. It was probably too hot and dried out my skin, but I needed it. You are playing PBS kids beside me and I have not put any makeup on yet. 

This morning I woke up to an unexpectedly sunny November day. You woke up and I immediately proceeded to tend to your needs, feed you, take you to school. Today is an early out day because of parent teacher conferences, where we will meet with your teacher later and talk about your participation in her class. We love your teacher, and we love your school. We love where we live and love the people we are neighbors with. We especially love that you are 5, that you are such a vibrant person, and so enthused to see us every day. That never gets old.

I didn’t have much motivation to get going this morning. Last night Donald Trump won the vote as President. It happened very suddenly, which I was not expecting, but probably should have. I have not really followed an election this closely. Over the past decade, since having you and finishing school, I’ve found a voice in myself that I have mostly never put forth.

I will tell you that I did not see much reason in finding my voice. You see, I am an artist, and at the beginning of my art education, I did not see how art contributed to the world, or if it even could (or how I could make it so). I saw it as a way to make beautiful things and hide behind the canvas. I think I had the beauty part of it right, but I left out the part that meant really inserting myself into my work. Many female artists are drawn to this practice, but I can relate to the fear of sharing things about themselves because it makes them vulnerable to scrutiny and attack. A good example of this is Marina Abramovic. When I was first introduced to her work I thought she was crazy. But as I learned more about what she does, though, I began to see art in a totally different way. She is fascinating. 

Anyways, despite being female and a minority, I was born into incredible privilege. Yet I still gave in to the  persistent notion that even though I had potential, I didn’t have THAT much potential. Here’s where some amazing men and women came in. My mother and father are both artists. They gave me my voice. In high school my art teacher put together my whole art school application and portfolio. Then I went to BYU. Then I married your father. 

By the way, I hope you find someone like him someday. He is in every way, my champion, my first line of defense, my hands and my feet. You helped him yesterday set up a sink trap in my studio. He knows, internally, what my potential as a woman is. I chose him for this, and many other reasons. He continues to be a tremendous source of confidence for me. I am enough of a challenge to get anyone to quit, but he shows no sign of wear. It helps that he realizes what a challenge he can be as well. 

In my journey so far, I’ve seen setbacks and advances; I’ve defeated some things and have been defeated by others. I am typically a thinker first, and a speaker last. Hence why writing this, and most things I put out on the internet, probably come across as hesitant. I had no idea that having a political opinion, or making art, would make me so vulnerable. Yet I have seen no other choice in the matter. When I’m alone, I make art (usually set to music). When I am with friends, I am creative with my interactions with them.  On my mission I used cooking as a channel for creative energy. When your cousin Henry died a few years ago, I turned to painting a nearby mountainside. Last night’s disappointing election has me here, expressing myself by writing to you. And I am posting it at the expense of not thoroughly editing it to make time for other things, for which I apologize. 

What I want to say to you is this: “Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams”. Yes, this quote comes from Hillary’s concession speech today. And yes, I have supported her candidacy publicly, much to the chagrin of my conservative friends and family members. I feel as though my support was both too public and not public enough. This is a struggle that you may face as well (though I hope you don’t). You might have some tell you that it is not becoming for a woman to be outspoken, determined, or even define your own happiness, whilst at the same time telling you to be more outspoken, more determined, and independent. You will likely feel pressure to conform to what others tell you (even us, your parents). What I want for you the most is to be raised with courage and confidence in your ability to grow, and not in fear that you won’t be exactly what we, or others have prescribed. I want you to grow confident that God’s love for you is real, and His love for His children is real. And that that realness does not exclude anybody. That you truly can, pursue and achieve your own dreams, and not another’s. Not even mine. The thing is, just by being alive, you have already achieved my dreams. 

Recently, I went back to BYU. I tried my very best to do what I could with the education it gave me. I protested against unfair honor code policies the day before graduating. I am proud of what I did to encourage BYU to make the appropriate response and change their policy.  I was proud of my school for making an important step toward fairness and decency. This progress gave me hope, but the truth is, I want more from my school as an educational institution, and I want more from my country. 

I am mourning about yesterday’s election results. It is a direct blow to the progress that women have been striving for in this country. No, it’s not about how Trump defeated Hillary, but that Trump was elected in spite of his abuse toward women, and intolerance for marginalized groups of people. Nobody really wanted to believe we are as racist and misogynistic as we are, which is why the election came as such a surprise. 

But I look at you now and see your brightness, and your potential. And my fears dissipate. I have no choice but to think of the future, and am absolutely determined to not let my fears get the best of me. I look around me and see such strong women.  We are surrounded by diversity and contrasting colors. The world is yours and mine, and does not belong to one group of people, no matter how powerful they may be. No demagogue president can take away your fire, your spirit, or your faith. We are movers and shakers. We will continue to progress as a people, even when it scares us. I will continue to be strong for you, and for the rest of the women in my family. 

I will also try not to be an obnoxious democrat. I find great value in both conservative and liberal ideals, which I believe can work together to great effect. Yet what this election has shown me is that a great part of what drives conservative law-making is fear, and I don’t want to be a part of that. The thing is, I am so tired of being afraid. I am tired of putting my voice out of harm's way. It is time to be vulnerable and true. Therefore I post this, and I hope you come back to it and have the courage to assert yourself. I hope you have empathy for others. Don’t doubt your ability to turn the world around. 

I love you,

Mom

New post, new post!!

Not even going to bother with the apologies; I know I haven't blogged forever. Most of you know by now that we moved to Utah. Micah is Utah Valley hospital's Psych medical director. I graduated from BYU with a BA in visual arts. Pippa graduated preschool, and is starting kindergarten. We are still settling into our new house. The biggest, latest project was the unfinished attic. Thanks to an awesome contractor and some newly found interior design skills, I made my dream rec room/home office a reality. I took some editorial photos of the space to try my hand at interior photography. It is fun, but I have much to learn. Here is what the room looked liked before:

The finishing process started in March. My goal was to create a room that continued the design of the rest of the house, and still reflected our personal style.

Click on the pictures to see the larger image size.

 A ceramics project from school.

 Micah built those speakers and they sound great.

Thanks for viewing! We are loving this finished space. Mostly I have been enjoying the room to play Just Dance and watch movies with friends. Come visit!

Zucchini Bread, anyone?

So I was just in the middle of getting our house ready for moving and I had the very logical thought, "I should post a recipe on the blog".

So for all of you who are lucky enough to garden, and have spare zucchini around, this is absolutely the recipe you want to use for them!! This is the best Zucchini bread recipe ever. From Cooks Illustrated:

ZUCCHINI BREAD

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, shredded
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
2. Place zucchini in center of dish towel. Gather ends together and twist tightly to drain as much liquid as possible, discarding liquid (you should have 1/2 to 2/3 cup liquid). Whisk brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Fold in zucchini.
3. Whisk all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg together in large bowl. Fold in zucchini mixture until just incorporated. Fold in walnuts, if using. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
4. Bake until top bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 65 to 75 minutes. Let bread cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely or wire rack. Serve.

You can add all sorts of things to this bread!  Chocolate chips, pistachios, orange zest, dried fruit, etc. Go make it!

PIZZA AND STUF

HEYYY

So I’m not going to blab on in this post, cuz my brain is fried from doing stuff like
GETTING A HOUSE!

Mostly. And also finishing residency and stuff. And promoting the dress I designed! Click HERE to buy it!

STUFF!

Anyways our house is in Provo so if you’re out there you’ll let us know, right? We move on June 28th.

I have a bunch of recipes I need to share, but the latest one in our rotation is an overnight pizza dough recipe that makes the very best pizza we’ve ever made at home. Click HERE for the link to the recipe.


Don't worry! I will blog again....

Winner Winner chicken dinner!!

EVERYONE!

So after a very dramatic past few days, I came to find out this morning that I had won the Shabby Apple design contest! And by dramatic, I mean that I have been sick, plus there was major confusion about the votes through Instagram. (Didn't I mention before that it should not have been determined by a popular vote?) Turns out people can buy (yes, BUY) "likes" on Instagram and Shabby Apple had to figure out which likes were legitimate. They used a third party auditing group. Still, what a mess! I was feeling pretty good on Saturday night when the voting was closed and I had the most votes, but I still wasn't sure what the final tally would be. So I spent Sunday and Monday completely ill at ease. Then I woke up this morning to Micah calling me, telling me to check my instagram.

The winnings of this contest are having my design produced and sold on Shabby Apples' Summer 2015 line, naming the dress, and earning 1% of the royalties.

So what I have for you in thanks for your support is a recipe! Micah made this for dinner on Sunday and it was just what my tensed up soul needed! What is it? It's America's Test Kitchens

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA!!

America's Test Kitchen - season 8, episode 20, Indian Favorites, Simplified

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Chicken

1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt [you can use low-fat if you don’t have whole]
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Masala Sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
1 fresh serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced [you can keep the seeds for added heat which is what I did or use a jalapeno if you don't have a serrano chile]
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp table salt
2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream [We used a combination of cream and yogurt]
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine salt, cayenne, coriander, cumin and in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together ginger, garlic, oil, and yogurt; set aside.

2. FOR THE MASALA SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 mins. Add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, chile, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 mins. Add salt, sugar, and crushed tomatoes; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 mins, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 mins, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

NOTE!

I believe Micah used an immersion blender for the sauce to make it extra smooth. I highly suggest doing this, if you have one.

Dress designer!

Hello, everybody within the sound of my blog!

Yesterday was pretty exciting for me. My dress design was chosen as a finalist for Shabby Apple's #daretodesign dress design contest!

If it were up to me, the final winner would be chosen by a real, professional dress maker, who knows about design and how fabric drapes and what fabric to choose etc. But, as it turns out, the winner is whoever

GETS THE MOST LIKES ON INSTAGRAM.

I like Instagram, mostly. I didn't have a lot invested in it but now, all of a sudden, I do. And I have to ask everybody I know to either use their current Instagram account to vote, or create an account to like from this link:

http://instagram.com/p/y-lvuiCf1a/?modal=true

So my fate is in the public's hands. I know what a politician feels like now. I also know that I do not want to be a politician.

Please, if we be but friends, share this with anybody who has an Instagram, or who likes Shabby Apple, or who might like to wear this dress. If I win, it will be created and sold on Shabby Apple, and I will receive 1% of royalties. The contest ends Saturday (Valentines Day).

In the end, I am glad I gave this a shot. Who knows if I have a future in dress making. I know I enjoy the designing part.

Thanks for your support. See you in 2016. Yes we can. Bla bla bla.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake.

The very second I read about the idea of using goat cheese in cheesecake I decided I HAD to try it.

That was this week.

But I knew better than to have a whole cheesecake in my house so I had Micah take most of it to work on Friday.

I kindof regret it.

I stole the recipe from Anne Burrell but as long as I giver her credit I feel okay posting her recipe here.

For this trial run I used a graham cracker crust but I bet the spiced wafer crust is delicious.

Ingredients

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs, such as Nilla

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 grates of fresh nutmeg

Pinch kosher salt

Filling:

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

One 12-ounce log goat cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream sour cream

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the crust: Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, wafer crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir together until well combined and homogenous. Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Reserve.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream and continue beating until combined. Add the sugar and vanilla and begin to beat. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in each until thoroughly mixed before adding the next one.

To assemble: Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake until the filling is set, another 25 to 30 minutes. If the filling starts to color, tent the pan with aluminum foil. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely before the serving (it continues to set as it cools).

The cake will continue to set as it cools, but it's best served after it has been refrigerated overnight and has really firmed up.

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/goat-cheese-cheesecake-with-spiced-wafer-crust-recipe.html#lightbox-recipe-video?oc=linkback

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Growing up I was never really into chocolate chip cookies, even though for most American kids it's an essential food group. Perhaps it was Chips Ahoy, or the lack of consistency in texture from different recipes (Soft! Crunchy! Chewy! Doughy! Cakey!) or just that I loved the cookie itself WITHOUT the chocolate chips (Sin!). I just didn't see it. 

The trend I am noticing is that once people have a recipe they like, they guard it with their lives as the ONE AND ONLY RECIPE THEY WILL EVER USE. Which is fine, I guess, but I am always up for experimenting. 

Which brings us to these. Do chocolate chip cookies always use browned butter? Because if they don't, THEY SHOULD. Oh whoops, I just joined the herd. I guess this is the ONE recipe for me. Well I guess that makes life easier. Good job people! Way to streamline your life!

These cookies made me understand the hype. 

Source: Cook's Illustrated (Of course.)

MAKES 16 COOKIES

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored. For our winning brand of chocolate chips, see related tasting.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)

3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (we used regular)

1 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (we used Guittard)

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Khao Soi 1.0

Khao Soi (ข้าวซอย) is a delicious Northern Thai Noodle dish. It was actually difficult to find in Thailand when I was there, except for in the Northern Provinces. I have found a few Thai places that offer the dish, and fewer that make it well (My favorite Thai Restaruant, Pok Pok in Portland is one of them!) I have made a few attempts at making Khao Soi, hopefully getting closer to the real thing every time.

In honor of my good friend Daniel’s birthday, I am sharing my current recipe. Happy Birthday, Dan!

Kao Soi 1.0

1 knob of ginger, chopped

2-3 shallots, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp of vegetable oil

1 Tbsp Yellow curry Paste

1 Tbsp Red curry paste

1 can of coconut milk

1 cup of chicken broth

1 lb. of chicken (traditionally uses thigh quarters), sliced

1 Tbsp of sugar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

Noodles

2 1/4 cup flour

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1-2 Tbsp Water

Oil for Frying

I have a pasta maker, but if you would like, you certainly can buy Asian egg noodles and use those instead. I have not tried frying those to make the crispy noodles, but it might work!

Garnish

Pickled Mustard Greens

Shallots

Lime

1. Place chopped ginger and shallots in blender (or food processor) with ~2 Tbsp of water. Blend to make a paste

2. Heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil in large sauce pan
3. Add ginger/shallot paste and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant

4. Add the yellow and red curry pastes (1 Tbsp of each) and cook for 1-2 miinutes

5. Add 1/2 can of coconut milk (~6-7 oz)

6. Add chicken and cook until cooked through
7. Add 1 cup of chicken broth (can add more if desire thinner soup)
8. Add 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp soy sauce

9. Before serving, add the remaining 1/2 can of coconut milk

For the noodles:
1. Mix the flour, eggs, salt and baking soda. 

2. Add water, 1/2 Tbsp at a time until dough comes together.
3. Knead dough for ~30 seconds

4. Cover and let sit for ~30 mintues

5. Make noodles

6. Boil for around 3 minutes

For crispy noodles, I take around 1/6 of the dough, make spaghetti noodles and deep fry them in about 4-5 batches.

Putting it all together:
1. Place noodles in a bowl
2. Cover with soup
3. Add chopped pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime

4. Top with crispy noodles

5. Enjoy!