Homemade Sushi (Vegetarian)

I had a lot of fun with this one!  I do need more practice with the sushi mat, since my rolls came out kinda messy (but still delicious).

Ingredients:

2 cups short grain rice

2 ½ cups water

3 tablespoons water, extra

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

5 sheets toasted nori

1 cucumber

½ medium carrot

½ medium avocado

2 slices cheddar cheese, cut into thin strips

Directions:

Place rice and water in a large saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Place rice, extra water, vinegar and sugar in a bowl and mix well.

Place nori sheet onto a bamboo sushi mat. Spread warm rice over nori sheet.

Cut and prepare the fillings.

Layer cucumber, carrot, avocado and cheese at narrow end, and roll up from narrow end using the sushi mat.

Repeat process with remaining ingredients to make more rolls. Cut each roll and serve with wasabi sauce.

YUM!  
ENJOY...

Wordless Wednesday

Jack's Mannequin- "People and Things"

I am so excited that my favorite musician/songwriter, Andrew McMahon, is releasing his new album tomorrow. I pre-ordered “People and Things” on itunes and I am just counting down the hours until I finally get to listen to it.

I have been a fan of Andrew since his Something Corporate days and I actually got to meet him and take pictures with him at one of his concerts in 2003.  I was completely hooked on his music after hearing the song Konstantine:

I continued listening when Andrew started his new project called Jack’s Mannequin. The songs Rescued, Bruised, and Hammers and Strings became the soundtrack to my life during college and after.  I went to a bunch of Jack's Mannequin concerts throughout the following years, never wanting to miss a chance to hear a live performance.

I have always been enamored by this music, but it wasn’t until I was going through cancer treatments that it saved me.  You see, Andrew McMahon also battled cancer himself, and he continued to write songs and film a documentary while he was in the hospital receiving chemotherapy treatments.  These songs spoke directly to me when I was in the hospital for weeks at a time, feeling completely cut off from the outside world.  The songs Swim and There There Katie (among others) gave me a sense of comfort because they were so familiar yet so hauntingly relevant to this dark, other side of my life.

Andrew and I were both considered to be too young for cancer, but we fought it and came out as stronger people because of it.  Dear Jack is Andrew’s phenomenal documentary film that I would highly recommend for anyone to watch.  It really makes you stop and appreciate what you have in your own life.  Not only is Andrew McMahon inspirational as a cancer survivor, he is also an extremely talented musician and a lyrical genius.

As if the new Jack’s Mannequin album wasn’t enough, Mayday Parade (my other favorite band) is also releasing their newest album on the exact same day.  I’m sure that I will be listening non-stop for the next few weeks!