A Little Like Your Great Aunt Mavis

Last year, and this year, I pledged to make everyone something handmade.  I almost made it, except for my colleagues at work.  The problem with handmade stuff is that it’s really difficult to make something for the men.  Unless they really love socks.  A lot.
Here’s what I made for my mother’s partner.  Photographs are always a safe bet, and I figure they don’t mind what kind of frame they come in anyway.  So I knit one.  It was pretty easy.  Even though I kind of felt like a knit picture frame is the sort of thing you see in in the fixed-rent apartment of an ancient maiden aunt.
The pattern came from a Ravelry user. 
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/photo-frames
I used a picture from a hike the three of us went on the last time they last came to visit taken with my cell phone.  The result:

Thai One On

Thai Beef Noodle Salad (Canadian Living Special Issue: Market Fresh)
I love Thai food, but I’m almost never able to reproduce it at home.  This attempt was no exception.

1 lb beef flank marinating steak 1 piece english cucumber 1 large carrot 6 oz wide rice-stick noodles quarter red onion, thinly sliced 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and mint 3 tbsp thai basil or other basil leaves 1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp sesame oil and vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp grated ginger root 1 tbsp granulated sugar 1/2 cup hot water 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 thai or serrano chilies

Marinade: In glass baking dish, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, and sugar; add steak, turning to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.
Dressing: In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake water with sugar until dissolved.  Add lime juice, fish sauce and chilies.  Shake to mix. 

OR, put it in a pyrex container with a non-tight-fitting lid and shake dressing, splattering it all over your kitchen.  Like I did.
Using vegetable peeler, slice cucumber  lengthwise into thin strips, slicing around centre seeds.  Slice carrots lengthwise into thin strips; set aside.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook rice noodles for 6 to 7 minutes or until tender.  Drain and hill under cold water; drain and transfer to large bowl.  Toss with dressing.  Set aside.
Discarding marinade, place steak on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare or until desired doneness.   Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil; let stand for 5 minutes.  Thinly slice against the grain.

Add cucumber, carrot, onion, coriander, mint and basil to noodle mixture; toss to coat.  Divide among bowls or plates; top with steak and sprinkle with peanuts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
This was probably the tastiest Thai-inspired steak ever.  It was probably the grossest noodle salad though, since I definitely overcooked the noodles.  And it made TERRIBLE leftovers, which is tragic because without leftovers I would starve.