Shastya Goes To The Airport

Baby Shastya's first trip to the airport could not have gone better! My Mom had bought us direct flights from GSP to Philly. At GSP, Shasyta thought she was in heaven playing with all the stuffed animal toys at one of the newsstands. She got to hold Disney's Minnie Mouse, a chipmunk, Ty beanie babies, and some little Wild Republic snap bracelet snakes. She also got to hug a Hello Kitty.  She liked the mini snakes the best because they were just the right size for her to easily grasp, and because they were pink and sparkly.

Shastya Goes To The Montgomery Mall!

About a week ago, my Mom, my sister, some of my nieces, Shastya, and I went to the Montgomery Mall, in North Wales, PA. We hit a lot of Fourth of July sales at Gymboree, JCPenny's, and Macy's! Shastya came home with many gorgeous adorable clothes! Gramma was spoiling her little South Carolinian granddaughter that she doesn't get to see very often. I hadn't been back to the Montgomery Mall in years. We frequently shopped that mall when I was just a kid. I was so impressed with the condition of the mall. Some malls do not age well. On our recent visit to PA, the Montgomery Mall seemed cutting edge.

 

Shastya Goes To New Hope, PA

While we were in Pennsylvania, we went on an antique train ride through New Hope. We went with my sister's family and my parents. My sister had thought of the idea! Shastya enjoyed playing on a mini carousel with her cousins on the train station platform while we waited to board the train. On the train we listened to some history of the area along the way. I really enjoyed the family time. We ate at a nice restaurant after. There, little cousin Rosamonde stuck some banana in her ear. We tried not to laugh.

Wide Noodles For Shastya!

I was trying to think of something tasty and nutritious to make for Shastya for lunch. We had lots of green vegetables in the fridge, so I wanted to incorporate them into our meal. I remembered we had some leftover wonton wrappers so I decided to cut them into wide strips to make wide noodles! Anthony and I had had wide noodles in China and loved them! Shastya's and my lunch could not have been more perfect, complete with Shastya slurping down her noodles! Our veggies included zucchini, asparagus, and broccoli.

Shastya Goes To "The Store"

A trip to see my family in Pennsylvania is never complete without a trip to see the latest and greatest at Henning's Market, or as my family often refers to it as, "The Store!" Shastya loved her momentous first-time trip to the gourmet grocery store during our little family's recent trip to Pennsylvania. This time, the latest was banana whips from "Henning's Coffee House." The banana whips were made up of whipped frozen bananas, but they tasted like ice cream! Baby Shastya enjoyed eating her banana whip with Daddy and Mommy under a covered table in the open air on the sidewalk in front of "The Store!" There's always something new at the on-trend upscale food store that has been in my family's line for many generations. It's quite the story really. . .

Let's see, from present to history, some key family patriarchs that work there or that worked there include my brother Bobby, my Dad, my Poppop, my great grandfather "Poppop Henning," and Poppop Henning's father-in-law. Of course, there are countless other family members and friends that were, and/or are an integral part of the family business as well.

"The Store" was started five generations ago as a general store, and has seen a wide variety of changes and locations in Harleysville, PA over the years. It may have gone back six generations . . . however many generations ago it was that "The Store" started, there was a relative that had three businesses. That relative left one business each to the husbands of his three daughters. The general store was one of the three businesses.  The general store operated out of a three-story building that sold everything from furniture to food. I've been told, one of the patriarchal owners was excommunicated from a local mennonite church for selling TVs in his general store! Along the way, the store became distinctively a food store, no longer sold furniture, and was labeled Henning's Market.

Henning's Market today is still located in Harleysville, PA, a historic Philly suburb. Some of my favorite regional hallmarks of Henning's Market include "Henning's Homemade" bakery, authentic PA Dutch foods, sushi, specialty cheeses, wedding catering & cakes, specialty foods, a wide variety of organic foods, a homemade gourmet smorgasbord buffet, and "The Terrace" upstairs eating area that overlooks the whole store!

From organic baby food to gourmet refrigerated pet food, my Dad's historic and hip store is ever progressing and has something new for everyone everyday! It's a happening place! In a day and age when local and family-owned is not as common as it used to be, Henning's Market holds its own. May God continue to bless the historical and futuristic Henning's Market.

The All-New Breakfast Sandwich

I made this sandwich up for breakfast this morning on a whim. It turned out rather whimsical, reminiscent of New York bagel breakfasts, and cold New York pizza for breakfast! A fusion breakfast of American traditions I presume.

Ingredients:

Toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

Colby Jack Cheese & Bologna

Chilled Traditional Tomato Sauce

Soup & Croissants

I made up my own soup today. It tasted delicious, but honestly, it was not very filling. I sauteed scallions and mushrooms in soy sauce and sesame oil. I added water, tofu noodles, salt, and pepper. Anthony and I thought my soup creation had an authentic Chinese flavor to it.

Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Anthony has not usually enjoyed vegetable toppings. Tonight, I asked him if he would mind vegetable toppings if I sauteed them in soy sauce. He said that was fine. The toppings I used were asparagus, zucchini, and mushrooms sauteed in soy sauce and sesame oil. Our pizza turned out without a glitch, and tasted rather classic. Sugar had dumped out of the bag rather quickly when I was pouring it into the bread machine canister for the pizza dough. The crust turned out quite sweet, similar to Pizza Hut's.