Modern Family Moment in Thailand.

Wow, we've been in Thailand for two days and I haven't had the time to post. What a whirlwind weekend we had. Leaving Jamaica and making a stop in Iowa for our nieces graduation from medical school has kept me busy and behind in my daily job of feeding my family and posting the results! Never fear, they didn't starve. We ate plenty this holiday weekend. My parents came to town and we feasted on a wonderful barbeque spread at Kiley and Erich's followed by an adventure down to Zombie Burger for a taste of the gourmet burger life. I would highly recommend the bacon blue cheese fries.... you really don't need a burger after that!

So along the whirlwind theme, I must confess a story that happened on our way to Zombie. We comically laugh a lot about our dysfunctional family when trying to coordinate anything. It's hard to direct 13 people into doing anything which means we always eat late no matter what. Well Sunday was no different. We were waiting for my sister Barb to arrive and for Herb to wake up from his nap and for Mimi to wake up and for Katy to get changed and for Hannah to arrive home from a graduation party. Finally we were ready to leave. During all of this, Elie and Katy her monkeying around and Katy disappeared upstairs, upset for being kicked to the ground...we all exited the house and got caught up in the frenzy of cars. Hannah was driving aunt Barbie's car but I needed to drive with them because aunt Barbie didn't know the way. So finally settled in our rides, my phone rings, my house is calling???? Andy is in the street in the van with the rest of the tribe. Odd why the phone is ringing... I look up and Katy is running out of the house crying.. yes, it appears for a moment, she went missing. Left like poor Kevin on Home Alone, though different because we hadn't left the driveway due to our slight dysfunctional family. Neighbors watching, laughing. A funny moment for all but my baby, Katy. Who had the smarts to immediately call my phone once she heard the door slam and the silence begin. My heart was aching for her fear but also happy that she is equipped to manage a real situation, if forced to.

Monday came and we tried to regroup as human beings of reality. The day brought us grocery planning and purchasing, garage sale prepping, laundry, homework and dinner. Since Elie chose Thailand, we enjoyed the only meal she will most likely love or like this week, Pad Thai Beef. I'm not exactly a connoisseur of Pad Thai eating or cooking, I didn't know what recipe to choose. There are plenty of online recipes to stumble upon... just not sure if I hit the "one". Though three kids all said they liked it. I guess it is a thumbs up for Monday night. Tuesday night to continue... too tired to continue.

Pad Thai with Beef (Adapted from Emeril's Pad Thai)

8 ounces  dried rice noodles

1/4 cup Fish Sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2-3 tablespoons sugar or coconut palm sugar, adjust to taste

1 tablespoon tamarind paste (Didn't find in store so didn't use)
1/2 teaspoon  crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons  coconut oil (I used canola)
7 cloves  garlic — minced
1 lb  beef, pork, or chicken (or a combination) — sliced in 1/4″ strips; or shrimp halved lengthwise
2 large  eggs
8 ounces  bean sprouts (about 2 cups) — rinsed and dry
2 cups  green onions (2-3 bunches) — white and green parts, chopped
1/3 cup  roasted, unsalted peanuts — coarsely chopped (I used salted)
1/3 cup  fresh cilantro leaves — minced
1 tablespoon  lime juice
1 whole  lime (optional) — cut into wedges for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the noodles with enough warm water to cover.  Soak until just tender, about 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, vinegar, tamarind paste, crushed red pepper, and sugar; stir until the tamarind paste and sugar dissolves and is well blended. Set aside.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or just fragrant.  Add the meat and cook until the just cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the eggs to the skillet and cook, stirring to break up into small pieces, about a minute.  Add the onions and allow to cook for 30 seconds to soften slightly. Add the sprouts, onions, fish sauce mixture, and noodles, and cook until mixed well and warmed through, stirring frequently.

Add the reserved meat and peanuts, and cook for 30 seconds to incorporate into the noodles.  Toss with the cilantro, lime juice, and serve immediately with lime wedges and Sriracha sauce on the side.

Red Stripe.

What could be better than sipping on a Red Stripe and making homemade Jerk Seasoning? Throw in a baby! That's right, we had baby Grayson spend the night with us while his Mommy and Daddy were out celebrating the end of Medical School.  What a dolly. I had a great helper, little miss Katy. We played and even took a bath. He found a barbie car under Katy's bed and the big purple car became his wheels. He would push it around the house and even used it as a stool to climb to higher places.

I was craving something healthy and wanted to prepare Red Snapper, a fish wildly popular in Jamaica. 1st I had to find Red Snapper which wasn't an easy task. I went straight to the source, the Waterfront fish market, where I found it for only $21.95/lb....I nearly walked out of the market but decided to purchase 1 filet so we could say we had tried it. I then stopped at our local Dahls and sure enough, found the Red Snapper for only $12.95/lb. I picked up another filet and decided it was going to be a throw down to see if price matters.

Well it did... the Waterfront clearly won over the Dahls Red Snapper. You definately can tell the difference between fresh vs. frozen. Note to self, the old saying, "you get what you pay for" is true with fish. In addition to the fish, Andy whipped up a veggie hash with the leftover veggies earlier in the week. He seasoned them with the same Jerk spice and sauteed them on the stove. Outstanding.

The seasoning I made yields 5 tablespoons, I only needed one for the fish. So now we have our own spice seasoning to use again this summer. Very cool. Until I was searching for an empty jar to put it in and stumbled upon a series of spice seasonings from Penzy which included a Jerk spice! Don't you hate it when you find things in your house you didn't even know you had? It's like a treasure hunt. Our house clearly needs to be cleansed of extra clutter that was built up in the last 12 years. Summer project.

I'm off to my niece Kiley's Graduation from Des Moines University. So proud of our little Kiley Coo. I can't believe 4 years have gone by so quickly.  Happy is.


Dry Jerk Seasoning
1 Tbl onion flakes
1 Tbl onion powder
2 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried chives or green onions

Grilled Jerk Snapper
1 Tbl Dry Jerk Seasoning
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Red Snapper

Veggie Hash
Leftover:
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Mushrooms

Dice and season. Saute with a little olive oil on stove.

A Little Package.

A little pocket of goodness was enjoyed on Wednesday night. A labor of love. I set out to make a very popular Beef Patty from Jamaica, derived from the British influences of the meat pasty. It is equivalent to the Spanish empanada or the Italian calzone in it's shape and origin of stuffing with meat. Andy, Hannah and I enjoyed them while Elie was babysitting and Katy tried one bite and said she didn't like the crust... "it's too crunchy... and soft"... hmmm. Seems to be a contradictory statement for really saying, "not my thing, mom"... so leftover chicken it was for her.

I don't remember ever having a Beef Patty in Jamaica when we were there. Then again, we were at an all inclusive resort where food was very mainstream. Except when we ventured out of our compound... two young 20 somethings with light hair and skin, walking the streets of Ochos Rios during rush hour. Such kids, really. Since our honeymoon pictures are all prints, I don't have easy access to post a few. Albums packed away during basement remodel....  Maybe later in the summer when I find a little time to scan a few. I will make it a goal.. a month from now when we celebrate #22 anniversary.

Tonight we enjoyed our last band concert of the season for Elie, playing the trombone. She may learn the Trumpet this summer as all the trumpet players are quitting...I'll keep you posted... It was a wonderful concert, short and sweet:) The last song was a combined effort with the 7th and 8th grade bands. All on stage. Playing for the first time together. It was a 7 minute piece that was a mix of Disney music. It was awesome! The crowd stood up with a standing ovation in the end. And yes, tears of joy filled my eyes. So innocent, so cool. Making music. That was my Happy is evening. And Elie and Katy were happy with TCBY for dinner, followed up with a Little Caesar's Pizza Pie. I on the other hand noshed on the little Jamaican Patty's as shown here.

Jamaican Beef Patty
Pastry
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbl. curry powder
1/4 cup solid shortening
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup cold water

Stir the flour, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and margarine until crumbly. Add the cold water to make a stiff dough. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 8-inch circles. Cover with wax paper or damp cloth until ready to use. You can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. If you do refrigerate, remove the dough at least 15 minutes before using.

Meat Filling
2 Tbl. oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp chopped Scotch Bonnet pepper
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (I used 1-lb)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup water

In a heavy skillet, melt the oil and saute the onion and Scotch Bonnet pepper until they become limp. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, curry powder and thyme and mix well. Brown the meat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the breadcrumbs and stock and combine all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all liquids have been absorbed, the filling is ready. It should be moist but not watery. Remove the skillet from the stove and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Uncover the dough circles and place 2 to 3 Tbls. of filling on half of each. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough circle over the meat filling. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. Lightly brush the pastry with mixture of egg and water. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry are golden brown.


My version: 
I cut my circles smaller, using the lid of my flour jar. I would guess 4 inches, 5 inches max. Large enough to hold 1 to 1-1/2 Tbls of filling. I was confused when it read 8 -inch circles.. at first glance I thought 8 1-inch but quickly realized that was too small.  So in the end, my batch were more like tapas or sliders Patty's.

The other thing missing from my batch was the Scotch Bonnet Pepper. WTF? Never heard of such a thing. Fast research on Wiki revealed this: Scotch Bonnet, also known as Boabs Bonnet, Scotty Bons, Bonney peppers, or Caribbean red peppers is a variety of chili pepper. Found mainly in the Caribbean islands, it is also in Guyana, the Maldives Islands and West Africa. I didn't want to add too much spice to my meal, knowing my spice phobic kids might appose. So I sprinkled a little cajun seasoning on the meat to give it a little nudge.

Jerk Kabobs.

I'm a day late in posting my blog. Funny how life creeps on a person. Not enough hours in the day. The  meal described was prepared and served on Tuesday night. A night where juggling dinner and cleaning the main floor of the house was the calling, coupled with a few loads of laundry. Seems to be a pattern... I sometimes refer to myself as Cinderella to my kids who on occasion throw out demands...my reply, "oh sorry, cinderella is busy"...it usually works for at least a thank you, occasionally. Really, like randomly. Almost lottery-like.

So, the meal was beef-based, using a wonderful marinade out of a cookbook that Andy and I purchased when we were on our honeymoon 22 years ago. I know it was going to be good, based on the spill marks on the page that the marinade recipe was printed. It made the sirloin very tender and flavorful. Maybe too flavorful for my boring meat eaters. Elie's comment... "this tastes weird", followed by her sisters agreeing. So they ate rice, white rice at that. I secretly think Katy would have finished her meat if not for the comment from her older sister. We have at least progressed since the early days of this journey. No more tantrums. Just a comment and a resourcefulness to get full on their own without complaint. So for that, I raise my glass of red wine and say, Happy is...

Jerk Marinade
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (I used 1 1/2 tsp dried ground thyme)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 hot pepper, finely ground (I used a jalapeno)
3 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl cider or white vinegar


Mix together all the ingredients in food processor. Store in refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to a month. Yields about 1 1/2 cups.

Jamaican Beef Kabobs

1 - 2 lbs. beef sirloin, cut into cubes

1 1/2 cups marinade

2 tsp olive oil

Small white onions, peeled 

1 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 yellow squash, cut into chunks

Mushrooms, medium sized

Combine marinade and olive oil in a resealable bag. Add the meat and rotate the bag to thoroughly voat the meat. Marinate overnight.

Prepare a fire in the grill. If you are using bamboo skewers, soak for 20 - 30 minutes to prevent charring.

Remove the meat from the bag, reserving marinade for basting. Skewer the meat alternately with the onions. Place the zucchini, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on separate skewers. When the coals are red but not flaming, place skewers on the grill about three inches above the coals. Grill the meat for 5 minutes on each side, turning skewers frequently to brown the meat evenly. The vegetables should take 3 to 4 minutes per side. As the meat and vegetables cook, be sure to baste with the marinade; both the vegetables and meat will acquire a delicious jerk taste. Serve over hot rice.

Jamaican Jerk.

Last night we enjoyed our first "jerk" experience. Not quite the authentic preparation method but this is what you get when you live in our household on a Monday night. I quickly threw this together over my lunch hour in order to have dinner for my hungry family served whenever they were home.

Katy had a 7:15 softball game so timing of this meal failed, big time. It called for 4 - 41/2 hours in the crock pot so in my mind, she and Elie would eat before softball and soccer. No such luck. The chicken apparently wasn't done cooking to the appropriate temps. I think it's because I crammed 6 split fryers into my pot and perhaps had it on a much too low setting. I hate my crock pot for this reason but that's for another blog post. So Kraft Mac shells were served and the girls were on their way. I decided to throw in a few sweet potatoes and white potatoes into the oven set at 200 degrees so they could cook for 2 hours while we were gone. Another fail. Needed more heat. Potatoes were hard! I guess I should have served rice like the recipe called for.

Hannah strolled in around 8:45 from life guard training. We all enjoyed the chicken. Yes, just chicken.

Jerk Chicken in a Crock Pot
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 TBL grated gingerroot (I use fresh in a bottle)
1 tsp ground allspice
3 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped (I only used 2)
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp seasoned pepper (I used black)
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic
1 TBL honey
5 split chicken fryers (leg/thigh)
Cooked rice
Papaya, peeled and sliced

In a blender or food processor, combine onions, ginger, allspice, jalapeno, oil, pepper, salt and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Stir in honey to form a paste. Brush all sides of chicken. Place a rack in a slow cooker. Place chicken on rack. Cover and cook on LOW 4 - 4 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve with rice, garnish with papaya.

*A few more tweaks: I put the chicken in the oven on 375 to let crisp up a bit. They said you could put under broiler too but I was busy trying to get the potatoes cooked... I also cheated and only put garlic on the kids chicken since I didn't know how "hot" and spicy this meal was going to end up like. 

My Little Dancer.

We are leaving Switzerland and on our way to Jamaica for the week. In the interim, we paused for Katy's dance recital and what a dancer she was. She has the best stage presence ever, smiles everywhere.  She asked whether she was getting flowers on the way to the recital.... I told her the day wasn't over! funny girl, so full of imagination.

After the show, she was home and creating another dance scheme with herself... costume changes, talking to herself and the bowling trophy that appeared on the kitchen table were all signs that Katy was in her own world of dance... god love our dancer!

Fondue Fun.

Friday night Fondue took place in our household where we pulled out the communal pots (calquelon's) and shared in the famous Swiss dish of melted cheese over a spirit lamp (rechaud). We added an oil pot and chocolate pot to the mix and the result was an amazing trifecta. Fondue was promoted as a national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s and it made its way over to America in the 1960s.

Hannah had her friends, Kiley and Shelby join in the fun and aunt Debbie and Grayson stopped by to join in the fondue fun as well. Nothing is better than milling around pots of deliciousness, nibbling on small bites while standing up. I think you can eat more that way!

I love the fact that it's considered an communal pot. It felt like a community in our house. Katy and her friend Cal wandered in and managed to dip their paws in a little fondue fun. Andy was busy scrubbing the garage floor to get ready for painting it so Elie and I cooked up a plate of food and fed him in the garage. I really think he may have been hiding out in the garage, away from all the girls. Uncle Scott arrived after everyone had gone and helped polish off the proteins that needed to be eaten.

The only thing missing from our meal was dipping sauces for the different proteins. Something that slipped my mind when racing to the store after work to collect the goods. Oh well, it was probably better that way, less calories anyway.

Dipping ingredients:

Fondue Bourguignonne
Top sirloin
Chicken
Shrimp
Scallops
Oil

Swiss Cheese Fondue
French bread
Pretzel bread
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Mushrooms

Chocolate Fondue
Angel Food cake
Bananas
Pears
Strawberries

We are off to Iowa City today for 2 soccer games and swimming. Glad we ate so wonderfully last night to keep us fueled today. Funny though, I'm feeling hungry.... Happy is.

Älplermagrone.

Switzerland isn't treating me very great. At a time where 5 pounds of weight has finely caught up with me, I'm forced to plow through this country without an additional weight gain! I know, proportions is the answer. So that's the game I'm playing this week. 

Who can pass up a succulent dish of a butter, gourmet cheese and bacon. It's a traditional dish famously known as a rich macaroni and cheese of the Alpine Valleys. So "extraordinary" as Hannah described the meal tonight. I would agree. After a slight mishap with burning the butter, bacon fat and flour, I attempted again and it turned into a huge success. I must say, it's the first home run in attempting mac and cheese in the household. 

I will admit, I didn't follow the recipe perfectly... first of all, I couldn't find Raclette cheese so I substituted 4 oz. of additional Gruyere. I also didn't use Pankp breadcrumbs because we aren't fans of breadcrumbs mixed with mac and cheese. Lastly, I didn't end up with 3 TBL of bacon fat since I burned it.. I used 1 TBL and then didn't drizzle over noodles in the end or add the 1/2 cup of cheese under broiler. I baked for 15 minutes in tent and then another 5 minutes without tent. 

Alpine-Style Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

1 pound elbow macaroni 

3/4 pound thick-cut bacon, diced 

3 tablespoons butter 

3 tablespoons flour 

3 cups hot milk 

fine sea salt 

freshly ground black pepper 

freshly grated nutmeg 

1 cup shredded Raclette plus 1/2 cup for topping (6 ounce total) 

1 cup shredded Gruyère (4 ounces) 

1 cup shredded young Fontina (4 ounces) 

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of liberally salted water a few minutes short of al dente.

Meanwhile, fry bacon in a skillet until brown but not too crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve the fat.

While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons bacon fat and flour. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until thickened and nutty in color, about 3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk and whisk constantly until thickened and the sauce coats the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the cheeses, a handful at a time, and stir until melted. Stir in the macaroni and the bacon until evenly incorporated.

Grease four 6-inch mini skillets or gratin dishes or six 12-ounce ramekins or oven-proof bowls with about 1 to 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Spoon macaroni mixture into each, mounding the top. Scatter over with remaining Raclette and breadcrumbs, dividing evenly. Drizzle over with about 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Place dishes on a large rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and set under broiler for no more than 5 minutes to brown lightly. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Not so Swiss.

picture from Venere.com

We've landed in Switzerland and are searching for Heidi! How beautiful it is here in the springtime. It's Andy's country choice this week and it sounded easy to plan for, right? I have concluded that this country is nothing but rich cheese, chocolate, potatoes and cream sauce. Plus unlimited recipes for desserts. Just when I'm getting serious about going on a diet too.

It's a busy week, as all are in the month of May. We have softball, soccer, swimming, lifeguard pool training, dance sign-ups, dance rehearsal, girl scouts, homework, travel for work, house cleaning, deck staining, flower planting, laundry, meal planning and meal EATING. I'm exhausted. Thank goodness I work out before 6am. Wouldn't know where to fit it in otherwise.

Tonight's meal is an old crock pot stand-by that I've prepared in the past. Not thinking, I quickly chose it this week because it's Swiss. Or so I thought... blonde moment. Swiss steak is NOT from Switzerland, rather it's origin is actually Italy. Go figure. I'm finally beginning the week on a Tuesday and it's a bust.

Though we may never find Heidi and eating isn't quite authentic, I think you will find this meal a tasty addition to your meal plans in the future. It's also a great way to serve up veggies to your kids without them really realizing.

Swiss Steak
2 round steaks, 1/2-1 pound each, cut into 3/4 inch thick (I used 2 1lb packages)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
Water or broth optional

Cut round steak into serving pieces. Place four, salt and pepper in plastic bag. Add steak pieces, shake to cover with flour. Place onion slices in bottom of crock-pot; add meat on top. Top with carrots and celery and cover with tomato sauce. I would also add 1/4 cup water to keep the sauce from being too thick. I continued to add water or broth the longer it cooked. Cover and cool on low, 8 - 10 hours. Serve over egg noodles.


So I realize this may have been a slight miss on the country tonight.... BUT... Switzerland has influences from the German's and the Italian's, depending what area of the country you're in. So let's just say we dined in the south of Switzerland tonight, Lugano to be exact!

Sisters.

Tonight we celebrated my sister, Debbie's birthday at my sister Barb's house. We threw in a shout-out to Hannah's birthday and Mother's Day while we were at it. Oh how I love my sisters.

They are so funny. Really. I tease them that they are old ladies. They are compared to me being five years younger. We wandered around the house and yard to capture a picture of us three, very comical with Sergio (Andy) following us to snap the photo. The pics are on Deb's camera, otherwise I would be sharing.  I literally pushed both of them over with a nudge and they rolled over in the grass, laughing. Priceless.

The night was enjoyed with Kiley and Erich getting ready to depart for a Cruise to the Caribbean for the week and little Grayson who I'm a magnet for taking his picture. So adorable. LOVE him. Deb and Scott, TJ, Barb and Ben and Andy and I and our girl crew enjoyed a few hours together, so easy. Comfort. No small talk, just us. Hannah gave kids rides around the block in her "car". We all hung out and had a wonderful meal, steak on the grill followed with aunt Barbie's famous Kuegel and aunt Debbie's Caesar Salad. I brought a batch of gourmet cupcakes, only three were eaten. Really, family?  Should have just purchased 6 instead of 12! Oh well, I guess my diet starts Monday.

Party broke up and it was my sisters left.  We put 6 + 2 candles in the cake for Deb and sang Happy Birthday to her. We told her to count the candles and she laughed out loud when she realized we were pretending she was 62! Seriously, so kid-like silly to prank her. And so happy. I guess you never outgrow the kids in you. What a genuine Giddy-like feeling.

We ended the evening singing to our beloved Karen Carpenter. How we adored her, especially my sisters who grew up with their hair brush microphones, singing in the shag carpeted bedroom. Thinking for one small moment that they were Karen.

Happy Birthday sweet sister who had to drink out of a Red Neck wine glass tonight. So proud. Love you.

O Canada. Haven't Forgotten You.

With all the Hannah hoopla this week, I haven't had a chance to post our dinners! So tonight I share two meals we've had this week. Both delicious, though the Salmon wins if comparing it head-on to the Pork.

We dined in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, enjoying a delicious baked salmon. It was my first time ever preparing salmon in the oven. We usually grill it. And I must say, it was amazing. Hannah declared it to be her favorite salmon ever! She admitted that she doesn't like it grilled. Who knew?

Tonight we had a roasted pork tenderloin, marinated in a maple mustard chili sauce. What's funny is the recipe was titled "grilled" yet the directions were to roast in the oven. It took longer than the directions, I think because it was a bigger piece of meat. It was tender and good. Though I prefer tenderloins on the grill.

Hannah has enjoyed her 1st official whole day as a driver. Her day began with picking up her friend Lexi to go to breakfast before school. Then, she took Katy with her to a tennis game after school to watch her friends Chloe and Delaney. The biggest ah ha moment was tonight when she drove herself to swim practice. I felt like a girl who just regained a little freedom! it felt like a Friday night. Crazy. I just might get used to this new chapter in our lives. Though never fear, the stress just shifts to worry.

Sticky Ginger Salmon

1⁄4 cup (60ml) soy sauce 

2 tbsp (25ml) cider vinegar 

2 tbsp (25ml) Chinese rice wine 

1 tbsp (15ml) maple syrup 

1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped fresh ginger 

1 tsp (5ml) finely chopped garlic 

2 lb (1kg) salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions

Method

Preheat oven to 450F

Line a baking sheet with foil.

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine, maple syrup, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Place salmon fillets on baking sheet and cover with sauce.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until salmon is just cooked through. Kitchen notes:

- Look for Chinese rice wine in Asian food stores. White wine can be substituted, or double the amount of cider vinegar instead. - Don’t worry if the oven gets a wee bit smoky – that’s the sweet sauce doing it’s work. The foil-lined baking sheet makes clean up easy.

- Serve salmon with steamed vegetables over Asian noodles or white or brown rice.

Maple Mustard Grilled Pork Tenderloin

2 (1 lb/500 g) Canadian Pork tenderloins  (I used a 1 1/2 pound loin)

2 Tbsp (30 mL) dijon mustard 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) pure maple syrup 

2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil

1 tsp (5 mL) hot chili-garlic sauce

Cooking Instructions

Place pork tenderloin in a plastic bag, non-metal bowl or sealable container. Blend remaining ingredients; pour over pork; seal or cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place tenderloins in a shallow pan, discarding any unused liquid, and roast for 30 minutes (to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C)). Remove from oven; cover loosely with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Hannah and her Besties.

Well she did it. She finally found her mobile freedom to finally become an Iowa certified driver at the young age of 16. It's a bittersweet moment in our household. The home where our little barrel of baby joy soon turned into a beautiful young woman. It amazes me how quickly time flies. Everyone always told me, though I never really knew why until now. I have so many stamped memories in my brain that I'm trying to connect through the non-digital days of photo-taking. I really need to take a day off from work to just sort through the boxes of unorganized photos before the memories in my brain fade. I confess, three girls makes me really need the vice of pictures at times.

O Hannah. You really amaze us every day. Don't act like the word "amaze" is always positive, however. We shake our heads at times with your lack of common grown-up sensibility then catch ourselves in the thought that you are only a kid. Sorry, an old kid. You are our 1st born, our experiment really. I mean, mom and dad weren't exactly experts when you arrived at home. We stared at you in your car seat, thinking, now what?  Do we take you out of the car seat.. you're not crying. But then what do we do with you?

Looking at you today, I'm feeling pretty good that we figured it out. You are the oldest member of your family. A role model for your sisters. So far, well, you need to ask them! You have such a love for life that we are so proud of. You have amazing character. Always so kind to people no matter who they are, what they look like or what their handicap may be. Your sisters look up to you so much and our hearts are warm that you would always be there for them, before anything else in life.  I'm only glad you finally realized Katy was my baby and not yours when your were eight years old. It's your protective heart and soul that makes you so grounded, so you. And so confident.

Your attitude has always been bubbly fun. In fact when you're not smiling, something feels so wrong. You bring life to every situation and it's contagious. Don't ever lose your bubbly, baby. Life has thrown you quite a handful of sadness for a teenager. And your attitude of life has gotten you through it.

Your life's journey is just beginning. You may have thought you were on that journey back in the day when you were looking for a ride. The easy days when people picked you up, pushed you or pulled you in a wagon. Your freedom to drive is no different than what you experienced growing up. It's what road you're going to travel that is the journey. Where are you going to go in life? What is your path? That's the exciting thing. And it's going to take you and your legs and your feet and maybe a little mind sense to determine where you're going to go. The world is yours. O Hannah, to be 16 is a gift in itself. You are going places in your life's journey. And you need to know that you have the bubbly and enthusiasm to drink it up and live the life you imagined. Nothing is stopping you.

Your mantra for life is rock solid. As I've learned from you, YOLO baby.  Love, mom. (aka momrocks45!)

O Hannah.

Today is Hannah's 16th Birthday. Let the celebration begin!

It was only a few short 15+ years ago that our daughter was faced to figure out her own mode of transportation.  Oh, the days of the swing. Not that she really was ever going to get anywhere, she wasn't quite ready to see the world. She WAS the world. Happy, easy-going baby. She soon realized the jumpy seat contraption was a fail. She wasn't going anywhere in that thing either. Just hard, tiring work.

 

But hey, if Santa can make Reindeers fly, I'll bet Hannah can make Bears fly too...

Forget the bears, fooled again! Taking matters into her own hands, Hannah figured out that perhaps she needed to step it up and learn to use the legs and feet god gave her. FREE to be mobile, at last. Well sort of free. She soon got tired of having to do all the work...

so she turned to Giraffe's...

...and wagons to haul her around.

She would even  be so bold as to hitch an occasional ride on a cousin if she had to. All for the sake of being comfortably mobile with her life's journey. Dad's always come in handy as a default too. She even thought driving a tractor might be something she could handle... but really always went back to the wagon when all else failed. Winters, when wagons had to be put away, she would turn to the sled, only to make her younger cousin push her...

Well, Hannah is all grown up now. Do you think she will rely on her Dad to give her rides anymore?   

Stay tuned....

A Lesson in Canadian Bacon.

Happy Monday! I usually dread Monday's. They are so tiring. So dreary going back to the hustle and bustle after a weekend of decompressing. But today wasn't typical. Today was good. Hannah landed her 1st interview for a summer lifeguarding position and not in Illinois:) She also was given great news that she will be parking at my friend, Jayme's house for the rest of the school year. And it's closer than her friends who have parking permits in lots surrounding Valley.  Plus bonus, she scored 104% on her Bio project. I guess people claim to have Birthday months... hers is really coming true.

Tonight was the typical Monday. Dance, Soccer and Swimming. So the meal needed to be simple. I decided to pull out a little French-Canadian on the family. It was simple and delicious, though Elie said she only ate it because it was hungry. Katy scrunched her nose, having eaten her Hotdog hours earlier before dance.

I actually created the meal, using my basic quiche recipe given to me from Mimi. Instead of bacon, I substituted Canadian Bacon. We served quiche while we were in France and love it! Pillsbury Pet Ritz crust is the key.

Did you know that Canadian Bacon isn't really from Canada? Apparently the English imported pork from Canada in the mid 1800's due to a pork shortage. They would cure the backmeat in a special brine, which Canadians actually call peameal bacon, because they would roll it in yellow split peas to help preserve it. The English preferred to smoke it instead which is what was most preferred and it was referred to as Canadian Bacon. If you went to Canada and tried to order it, you would end up with Peameal bacon. Crazy learning. Love it!

Canadian Bacon Quiche
1 6 oz. package of Canadian Bacon, diced
2 slices of onion, diced finely
3 eggs
1 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1 pie crust (Pillsbury Pet Ritz)

Pre-bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 10-15 muntes, polking with fork before baking.

Whip eggs with whisk and add all ingredients. Mix and pour into pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until brown on top.
Cool and serve.

Family Night.

Ever have a night where you don't exactly have a plan?  And you think you have one but nobody is really committed to it? Well, tonight was that night. A Sunday night. Everyone's meal schedule was off. We were waiting for Hannah to get home from feeding the homeless with Aunt Debbie and TJ so we could go grab something to eat from a restaurant that we had not yet committed to. Katy was still in her bikini top and Elie in her soccer clothes. When suddenly appears (not 8 tiny reindeer) but a carload of Uncle Scott, Aunt Debbie, TJ and Hannah (driving) and a bottle of untapped wine. They were ready to share in fellowship on this Sunday night and that is where our plan was made. We ordered Chinese food in honor of Ashley, Matt and Hazel, embarking on their 2 week travels to China.

It was a perfect ending to a weekend full of friendship connections.  We were honored to celebrate in our dear friends sons confirmation, followed by a night of an ISU SAE house reunion. A blast of many many faces from the past at El Bait Shop. We are truly blessed with the friendships we have with family, friends and old ghostly friends from the past. Such a meal in itself.

Tomorrow we arrive in Canada.

Happy is.

Daily Life.

Cuatro de Mayo... it was a day for dreaming about Margaritas. And the best Margarita in town is hands down, Mi Mexico. Though I didn't get to sample one today, I can still dream about the fun...

No Mexican for us tonight... just a slice of American life, our life on a Friday. The day started out comically.. Hannah was having a bad teenage morning...nothing to wear....no clothes... need to go shopping mantra followed up by no milk to drink and peanut butter toast falling on her settled upon outfit right before we were leaving for school. She scrambled and ended up with a wrinkled t-shirt on her way into high school. Funny. So, her day went on... a Friday with no teenage social plans.. oh my... then she approached her driving test. The test that would set her destiny into true teenage life. Although parallel parking was a FAIL... she passed!!!  Watch out Des Moines... it's a five-day count down until Hannah has a license to drive. Pictured here is a teenager after swimming practice... proud as can be!

It was a beautiful night to watch Katy playing softball. Great temperature, sun blaring. Great conversation in the stands. So I was telling a mom a story about Hannah accidentally applying for a lifeguard position in Illinois vs. West Des Moines and she exclaimed, "what the Front Door"... wow, brilliant. A kid-friendly way to say WTF... LOVE. And yes, it's true... Hannah had a blonde moment and she is now for hire this summer!

We ended the night at the Tavern Pizza with Grama Jane. It was entertaining. Girls were full of conversation, fighting to see who had the floor next. Katy had told Grama earlier, "our family is active"...we talked about Hannah and driving... to Elie going to Adventureland with the band and how the band kids are actually cool, not dorky and Katy chiming in about some long story about anything.  A true slice of family heaven. Three girls, one Dad, one Mom and one Grama... all Happy.

Happy is.

Fusion of Flavors.

Tonight was a flavorful meal. A fusion of healthy goodness.

For some of us.... typical night. Running, or should I say driving Hannah everywhere. After that, I decided to run out in search of a Birthday present for her with Elie and Katy is tow. Well, things started getting cranky for all of us. Katy started annoying Elie which led to me getting annoyed at the the whole situation which led to me leaving the store without a present. Hunger had set in. I decided to breathe and solve this dilemma with a trip to Tasty Taco to pick up a few to-die-for original tacos for them to take home, knowing they wouldn't survive the dinner I was getting ready to prepare.

Bingo. Happy Kids.  Elie claimed, "they sure make a great taco" as she lapped every bit of the greasy meaty cheesy floury concoction. If you live in Des Moines and have never had a Tasty Taco, I strongly recommend you forget your own meal plans tomorrow and head over to one of the few locations in Des Moines to order an "Original". You won't be sorry. Simply delicious. I was proud of myself not to throw in the towel and say good-bye to the healthy meal ahead. Willpower as warm weather is here.

So the recipe I found was on Pinterest. Its origin closer to the border but still within the family of Mexican food. It sounded so healthy. I had Quinoa already in the pantry. And I especially liked the 10 minute prep and 10 minute cook time. Bonus. At least that's what it said on paper....

Really? Just look at the ingredients listed. It took me 10 minutes just to gather them. And then another 10 minutes to open cans, find measuring cups and spoons and get the Quinoa cooking. Now for the chopping... add another 10 minutes. Then another 5 minutes to defrost the corn and rinse the beans. Then the 10 minutes it took for me to go find a bottle of wine in the basement to open and switch a load of laundry. Add another 5 minutes to mix the spices in a separate bowl and toss. Plus the lime juice. So nearly an hour later, it was time to begin to prepare the burritos....

This was the easiest part. Though I needed to add a tortilla to the 6 I had on the counter based on the surplus of filling that was pouring out of each side as I rolled. So with my recipe, you get 7. Another bonus! As much as I sound like I'm complaining, I'm really not. There's just more prep work than the 10 minutes printed so I want to prepare you to have the time. I even had the chicken already chopped and ready from our earlier meal in the week.

What I loved about this recipe is the healthy outcome. All of this and it packs only 340 calories per burrito. Maybe less since I added an extra tortilla. And the other "Happy is" moment is grilling a burrito. Never in my life have done this. It rocks. Like a Quesadilla. Who would have thought. Crunchy goodness. That's what I'm talking about.

Crispy Southwestern Quinoa and Chick'n Burritos
Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked Gardein Chick’n Scaloppini (or Chicken of choice)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup cooked/canned black beans
• 1 cup organic frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup pepper jack or cheddar cheese (I used Daiya)
• ½ cup chopped red or green bell pepper (or mixture)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 6 tablespoons non-dairy sour cream (optional)
• 6 tortillas - wheat or brown rice

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine “chicken”, quinoa, black beans, corn, cheese, red pepper, and green onion. In a small bowl combine dry spices.
2. Toss with quinoa mixture.
3. Add lime juice and toss well.
4. Spread one tablespoon of sour cream on each tortilla.
5. Top with 1/6 of mixture.
6. Fold opposing ends in and roll. Secure with toothpicks.
7. To cook, you can use a non stick griddle (like a Griddler)and cook over medium heat until golden brown.
8. Alternatively, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium low heat.
9. Cook until golden brown.
10. Enjoy the sinful goodness!

Notes

Protein: 19.5

Carbohydrates: 49.6

Fiber: 15