Heartbeat of the WOMA

A big thank-you to those WOMA members who helped at our booth at the recent SHOT Show held in Las Vegas for four long days. (The “backbone” of the booth was Melita Ellington, WOMA VP and Membership Team Leader, so a special THANK-YOU to her!) The response to The WOMA was beyond good; it was phenomenal to the point that it will take us awhile to catch up with dozens and dozens of new membership applications. Read more

Venison faux pho

My name is Julie and I am addicted to pho. I could eat it every day. For those of you who haven’t had it, pho is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup. There are lots of variations but my favorite is a beef broth version with shavings of sirloin. So, I know what you’re thinking. Beef noodle soup? She’s a beef noodle soup junkie? Ah, but there is so much more to it than that! Pho is to the Vietnamese like a secret marinara sauce is to an Italian family. Recipes are guarded and competition is fierce among pho restaurants.

Living in northeastern Montana does not allow me to fulfill my pho cravings, unless of course I make it. Even then I don’t have all the necessary ingredients or time to make authentic pho. Still, I’ve been on a mission to make the best faux pho I can with what I happen to have quite a bit of—venison. This week I made my best bowl EVER with pronghorn steak! Here’s the recipe . . .

Broth:

In a large pot, add two 32-oz. cartons of 98% fat free beef broth. To give it that authentic flavor add four star anise “stars,” one inch of ginger root, sliced thinly and one packet of Gia Vi Nau Pho spice. You can find the spice at Amazon. A bit of advice on these packets—DO NOT OPEN. I learned this the hard way and had some gritty soup the first time. I have found I get enough flavor if I just drop it in as is. Cover and cook on high. When it boils, drop the heat down so that it’s still very hot but not at a full-on boil.

Rice Noodles:

I like to cook these while the broth is heating. I use the flat, fat ones that look like fettuccini. You can find them in Asian grocery stores, or if you are super lucky your local store has them. I have also used ramen noodles when desperate but this is NOT ideal. The directions on the package for the noodles are pretty simple. When finished, just strain out the water and let sit.

Garnishes:

Chop up a bunch of fresh cilantro. Mint and Asian basil are common pho garnishes, but I can never get them at my grocery store so it’s cilantro for me. Next chop some green onions. Red onions also work well, but be sure to slice thinly if you use these. Quarter a lime and then set all this aside. If you can get fresh bean sprouts (rare for me) I suggest washing/rinsing a pile and placing them on a plate with the limes.

Meat:

Once the veggies are done it’s time to slice the meat. The goal is to slice it as thinly as possible so that it cooks in the broth upon first contact. Due to the high protein content, venison is most tender when it’s cooked hot and fast, which is one of the reasons I really like it in pho. How thin is thin? Paper is ideal but nothing over 1/16 of an inch.

Plating:

This recipe makes two large bowls (think medium-size mixing bowls) or four appetizer-size servings. Divide rice noodles and place at the bottom of each bowl. Next in the bowls, distribute the cilantro and onions. The meat goes on top of all this. I like to spread the meat out so that it all cooks evenly and instantly upon contact with the broth. Finally take a soup ladle and add very hot broth (key word: VERY) to each bowl. Fill with enough broth to cover the meat to fully cook it.

Personalizing your pho:

Bean sprouts, limes to fresh squeeze and additional herbs like mint and Asian basil are common add-ins. Putting these on a plate in the middle of the table allows everyone to make a bowl of pho just the way they like it. Oh, and don’t forget the Sriracha!

Enjoy!

Julie Goloski-Golob signs publishing contract

The WOMA member and Smith & Wesson Pro Shooting Team Captain Julie Goloski-Golob is writing a how-to book for aspiring shooters—and current shooting enthusiasts who want to hone their skills.

Skyhorse Publishing of New York has tentatively scheduled Julie’s first book for an October 2011 release. The working title is Shoot! A Guide to Shooting and Competition, but Julie cautioned that this may change. “The title isn’t set in stone but it describes the book well and it’s a bit catchy. It’s what we are calling my project at the moment,” she said with a laugh. Read more

Julie Goloski Golob wins two titles at World Speed Shooting Championships

Team Smith & Wesson Captain Julie Goloski Golob racked up two more championship wins at a recent match.

Julie took the Ladies Production World Champion and Ladies Limited World Champion trophies at the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships in Piru, California, August 18-22. Read more

Julie Goloski – Member of The WOMA

Julie began her shooting career with her father, Pete Goloski, at the young age of 14. What began as a father/daughter weekend hobby turned into an accomplished shooting career, and now she is a contender at every level. Julie’s talent was realized in 1995 when the US Army recruited her to shoot for the Army Action Shooting Team. It wasn’t long before she became an unbeatable force as the 1999 USPSA Limited (iron sight) and Open (race gun) Ladies Champion and Ladies World Speed Shooting Champion, unprecedented for a lady shooter in the same year. Recognizing her accomplishments, the Army named her US Army Female Athlete of the Year in 1999, a prestigious honor that had never been bestowed on an action shooter before. After serving nearly eight years with the Army, Julie continues to strive to be the best. She dominates in stock gun competition and has become the first and only Five Division USPSA Ladies National Champion. In the 2006 competition season, Julie made another first – winning the Ladies National Title for the USPSA Limited-10, Single-Stack and Production Nationals and became the first woman to ever earn a USPSA Nationals Triple Crown. In February of 2008, Julie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and now adds wife and mother to her many titles. Always pushing the competition envelope, and as a member of Team Smith & Wesson, she hopes to continue to raise the level of her shooting higher and higher. Julie’s blog keeps fans of action shooting updated at her website www.juliegoloski.com.

Julie Goloski shoots superbly and blogs well, too

Keep up with The WOMA member Julie Goloski’s blog at http://juliegolob.com/news/, or follow her on Facebook at Julie Goloski Golob. This Team Smith & Wesson professional shooter and communicator knows how to use social networking to communicate with not only those who follow shooting sports, but also those who admire a strong woman’s career in the field of practical shooting. Way to go, Julie. This week, Julie is blogging about the 30th Annual Bianchi Cup Competition in Columbia, Mo.