Happy Birthday To Steve

I made Homemade Chili! (CK's recipe.)

Snow Storm Dinner Date

Ah.

Common mistakes made while making mashed potatoes.

Salmon and Asparagus

Kare Kare

Made this for my mother.

She is in town visiting for a week.

It was (is, since I made a rather large pot of it) extremely delicious.

And Homemade Banana Splits After Dinner.

Today I hauled 9 bags of mulch (40 lbs each) from a pile in the store, into my cart and like a mule, pulled it behind me and loaded it into my car.
When I got home, I quickly got to work unloading and spreading it in my garden.
For anyone counting, that's now a total of 18 bags I've shlepped since Saturday.
Although the girls spread the first batch for me last Saturday, Kika did 7 bags and Gabi did 2.
(Perhaps Kika was doing preemptive work release/community service)

Nevertheless, I deserve this banana split.
Not only was it back breaking work but I also saved a lot of money.
The first (and last) time I got a landscape service to mulch our garden they charged $300.00.
I spent $60.00 buying 18 bags of mulch and spreading it myself.
The stevedore muscles I've gained is just a bonus.

Today's lunch

Kika had a half-day today and this was the lunch I made for us.

Toasted Italian bread
Alfalfa sprouts
Sliced avocado
Sunny side up eggs
Topped with tomatoes
Seasoned with basil olive oil, salt and pepper.
(thanks to DZ for the Cooking Light Magazine)

Kika enjoyed it except for the tomatoes.
She also did not care for the cucumber/lemon water.
"the cucumbers throw me off," said she.

Tonight's Dinner

Paul Newman brand (from the frozen section) pasta with Italian sausage.

Asparagus sauteed in garlic, onions and olive oil. 

Hardboiled egg and cucumber salad.

Lettuce wedge with hard boiled egg, tomatoes and fried cured meat.

(Not pictured) Sweet corn on the cob.

Chicken Adobo is What's For Dinner

Does it "plate" well?

Finally

A good article about Filipino food in the Washington Post.

Updated: 4/24/15, ate in Maharlika, one of the restaurants featured in that Washington Post piece.
Location: 111 First Avenue in the East Village, NYC.
Ordered:
San Mig light Beer
Chicharon (delicious)
Kare-kare (delicious)
Sisig (delicious)
Pancit (nothing special)

Good vibe. Would eat there again.

I Made Black Cod With Miso Last Sunday,

as a welcome home dinner for Steve. It's one of his favorite dishes served at Nobu and copied at Umi.

I followed this recipe. It was a success. 

Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine and Soy, Is What's Cooking

Got this recipe from my friend Sam. (which she got from Chef Ron Bilaro)

Pan sear 3 lbs beef short ribs seasoned with salt and pepper and then coated in flour
Then transfer the ribs into the crock pot.
Add:
carrots, celery and pearl onions (which are a pain in the butt to peel)
4 tbsp of garlic powder (is that teaspoon or tablespoon? since I did not know I put 3 teaspoons in)
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 cups of red wine (once I opened the bottle, I tasted it first. I am happy to report that despite last Sunday's unfortunate "libation and acuity" experience, I am not "off red wine."
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
5 bay leaves
and 1 1/2 cups of beef stock.
Turn cooker on HIGH for 4 hours. Stir occasionally.
(My crockpot teacher-JB's general rule of thumb is not to be tempted to open the crockpot--in this instance you have to in order to stir it)
It is 6:16 now and it is going to be ready by 7 pm.

Updated: I liked it. Who cares what the kids thought.

Meals

Cheese Omelets

Cajun Shrimp served over pasta

Tuna Casserole (not a big hit, but allowed in the rotation during Lent)

Carbonara 

Always a hit

Crab meat and pesto pasta

Pecan Pie For Pi Day

Pad Thai

My Niece Erica is staying with us for a few weeks because she is doing a medical rotation with Steve.
She arrived last Sunday.
Erica has reported that she and my dog Pax have been bonding.
And, she and the girls have bonded over "crafts" as well.
Yesterday, Erica and G went on a run.
Halfway through the run they decided to stop and have waffles topped with whipped cream and strawberries.
I find that to be funny.
Speaking of food--
Erica's fiance` Brett,  and their friend, Ben stopped in for lunch today.
I made Pad Thai and Japanese fried rice for the four of us.
In honor of St. Paddy's day, we also had Green Plant juice infused with vodka after our meal.
Note to self: must not have an alcoholic beverage before working out.
Alc does not make exercise easier.
I know this.
Luckily my workout partner JB was understanding and patient as I whined my way through the whole routine.
It is Friday and Steve is up at the camp for the weekend working on stuff out there.
We couldn't go with him because this evening I shall go to church to attend G's Living Stations.
(That's the re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross done by the eighth graders of her school)
Plus tomorrow G plays her trumpet at some Meet the Maestro event downtown.
I don't really feel like stepping out this evening because I would much rather read a book.
But whatevs.
Tomorrow is Pi day. (3.14)
I think I shall defrost a pie.

Updated: Let me just say for the record that watching the eighth graders re-enact the Living Stations very solemnly and self-directed makes me so impressed with Sacred Heart Elementary School.

20 Minutes

In an effort to stay productive, I've been testing out a new format in my mornings.
I set my phone timer for 20 minutes and break up my schedule into 20  minute increments.
Even my prayer time I have sliced into 3 blocks of 20:
Not necessarily in this order, I set
20 minutes to listen (meditation),
20 minutes to read (my Bible),
20 minutes to write my prayers down.
I started writing my prayers, because I discovered that I can stay better focused when I write them down instead of when I mutter or think them.

I've split my workouts into 20's as well.

(this pace kills me btw, as I am much more comfortable with a 13 min/mile)
20 minute cardio, 20 minute weights.
Laundry folding and sorting-I try to get it done in 20.
House cleaning, (I gladly stop after 20 minutes)
Emailing and Facebooking....20.
Needless to say, I find myself being more productive.

The other day, I was feeling so productive and UMOTY-ish (thanks SL)  that I even made homemade Broccoli and Cheddar soup for the first time in my life.

I was so proud of it that I kept milking my family for compliments.
Finally K mentioned that I am the complete opposite of Chinese ladies, that downplay the excellent meals they make by saying their dish may need more soy sauce....
What can I say, I ain't chinese.
But then again, I really believe that when one becomes inspired enough to create, (or in this case, cook) you feel like bursting...(or bragging).
Speaking of creating, (or bragging)  the extreme cold has given the girls a couple of school cancellations.
I was very proud to announce to my FB world that during the days off,
G took it upon herself to create something with a friend:

Creative juices overflowing...when she ran out of canvas...she turned her art on the dog:

Full Disclosure: If my kids had their way, (especially G, who seems addicted to Netflix) they would lie on our kitchen floor and watch TV all day...

And now my 20 minutes to write on this blog is up.

10 Lessons Learned From Steve's 50th:

“Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you."
~Luke 21:34

1."Drop off Catering" means to order food from a catering service, where they deliver it but don't serve it.  Say this at the very beginning of your inquiry so that the catering people don't make pushy appointments to do a home inspection. (True story: I had to cancel a company because they wanted to do a site evaluation of my house. drop off catering, drop off catering...remember that term.)
The caterer that didn't need to give my home a rectal, got the job and they were excellent. (thanks ck)

2. 10 cases of beer, 4 cases of wine and 10-12 bottles of various liquor is sufficient for 80 people.

3. For a special event like a 50th b-day, splurging on a bartender and two servers is worth it.

4. Throwing a party is a very good motivator to clear the house of clutter.

5. Prepping the house for the party, has saved the rabbit's life.  The rabbit's relocation from our dining room to our second floor turned out to be a good move.  Now that G has to navigate around his large enclosure to get to her bedroom or bathroom, she remembers to feed and water him.

6. Knowing that you will host a dozen people to stay over after the party, forces you to really clean well, or get creative in disguising your mess.

7. Speaking of creative and unusual, setting up food in an unlikely place (our basement ping-pong room) prevented a bottle-neck sich.  In the unlikely event of another party this large,  it is good to remember to think outside the box.

8. It is good to stay sober if you are hosting a large party, so that if your teenager defies you in the middle of her dad's 50th bday celebration, i.e. does not come home at the assigned time, don't freak out. Just jump in the car and get her. (#sogladIwassober)

9. Do set aside the desire to wring the daughter's neck until after the last guests departure the next afternoon, because you must:

10. Be ready to sing karaoke or play ping pong after the party until 4 am.


Glad you had a Happy Birthday, Steve.

Product Endorsement Part II: This Is Delicious.

Kare Kare (Oxtail in a peanut based sauce)