Hello everyone! Below is a quick slideshow from my husband's 30th birthday bash that my bestie and I hosted last month. We got personalized Jones Soda bottles done and my best friend Linda did all the personalized goody bags, snack cups and much more! Visit her etsy store if you have time cause she does EVERYTHING from wedding invitations to fun bachelorette party stuff!!

Here's the link to her etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ltndesigns

Vietnamese sour soup(canh chua)

You will need:

7(14.5 ounces)cans of low sodium chicken broth--makes about 3 quarts
1 pound of cleaned cat fish fillets(you may use chicken)
1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple
4 large tomatoes cut into medium sized chunks
about 1 pound of okra
1/2 pound of baha(elephant ear stems)or fuzzy squash
8 ounces of cleaned bean sprouts
a handful of cleaned rice herb patty
a handful of mexican or saw tooth coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of fish sauce
2 T of sugar
3 T of tamarind

Garnishes:

chopped fresh herb patty
sliced fresh chili peppers

Chop up your pineapple and set aside. Wash your tomatoes and okra, chop those up then set aside. Take your elephant ear stems, peel off the skin, and slice them at a diagonal about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and set aside as well.

Bring your chopped pineapple and chicken broth to a rolling boil then add in your fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Give it a stir then add in your cleaned catfish fillets and let them simmer for about 5 minutes. If using chicken, please make sure chicken is cooked through before adding in your veggies.

Next add in your okra and elephant ear stems. Stir and let that cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir in your tamarind powder then skim off any foam or scum that has floated to the surface. Taste for seasoning and add more fish sauce, salt, sugar, or tamarind powder if needed.

Turn off the stove at this point and add in your cleaned bean sprouts. Stir to combine then top it off with your chopped rice herb patty and mexican coriander. Pour into bowl and serve warm. Top it off with more chopped fresh herb patty and slices of fresh chili peppers! DELICIOUS!

Notes: This makes quite a bit of soup so feel free to cut recipe in half!