Earlier this month I ordered a couple three pound soap molds and some wooden soap dishes for the house. The soap mold has a little hole drilled in the bottom center to allow the soap to release once it’s set. The dark spot on the right is just a knot in the wood. You line the mold with parchment or freezer paper and then pour it 3/4 full with soap then top with more paper and the lid. The thickness of the mold provides insulation so the soap cools at the proper rate. I’m anxious to try these out and if all goes well we should be doing another batch of soap later this week.

Last night’s dinner was a little beef stir fry with snow peas and pineapple. Unfortunately Daniel refuses to eat brown rice so I end up making a batch of brown and a batch of white. I try to make extra white and freeze several servings for later so that I don’t have to do that too often.

Beef Stir Fry with Snow Peas

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
2 cups snow peas
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound shoulder tenderloin, cubed
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon red curry paste (more if you like it spicy)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
crushed red pepper flakes
hot cooked rice

Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown in canola oil over high heat until caramelized on all sides. Reduce heat to medium and add onions then cook 2 or 3 minutes with stirring until they begin to soften. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro, cover, cook 5 to 7 minutes or until snow peas begin to soften. Serve over rice garnished with cilantro.