it must be a season of "life". aside from my son (born last year), many of the people that i know have recently become a parent (or a parent again). it's something to be thankful for - an addition to the family.
of course, being a first-time parent is met with a lot of confusion & frustration that can easily be forgotten by the joys of seeing your little one grow. it's amazing how much we can endure for the things that we wouldn't have tolerated before the baby came along. i am thankful for the gift of life that God has given this family - what a bundle of joy our son is to us!
but it also reminds me of the sovereignty of our Father in Heaven. there are some people who struggle so much to conceive, and everything is out of their control. they could try as they might, with all the resources & fertility options that are available; but sometimes it seems like it may just as well be deemed "impossible" and perhaps better to just give up.
lately my friend has been sharing with me about the struggles of conceiving. my friend & the spouse have been trying for a year and are still hopeful. they have gotten as far as halfway through the first trimester before miscarriage. and as difficult as this is for the both of them & their families, they are able to move on, knowing that they're doing everything they can to improve their chances and that now it's just up to "their god(s)". while my heart goes out to my friend & the spouse, i know God has a reason for all of this. although they are not Christians, i've been praying for them and have let them know that i am keeping them in my prayers. maybe someday God will provide for them an addition to the family... someday.
but it reminds me of how blessed i am - to be able to go through these experiences of being a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother...
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Joys of Grillin' - Turkey Burger!
every recipe that i searched on the web for turkey burger starts with "salt... pepper..." but i was always skeptical of how much salt & pepper were used for each burger patty.
i had a pack of 1 lb ground turkey and i felt like a burger, so i made 4 burger patties this way:
Recipe: Basic Turkey Burger
1 pack 1-lb ground turkey
olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Worcestershire sauce
cheese - optional
Divide the ground turkey into 4 patties, making sure that the center of the patty is lightly pressed in (courtesy of Bobby Flay's grilling method!). Lay it out on a plate for seasoning: coat with olive oil, then generously douse with salt (about a teaspoon) and pepper (about half teaspoon). Dab (quarter-sized) with Worcestershire sauce. Flip the patties and season as well.
Grill the patties on a grill or in a medium-to-large-sized pan on medium-high heat. When the burger is almost ready, place a slice of cheese on top and let it cook for a minute or until the cheese is lightly melted.
//
i also made caramelized onion:
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 TBS olive oil
1/4 TBS kosher salt
1 TSP fresh ground pepper
Heat the oil in the pan and add the ingredients. Cook until brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
//
anytime i grill, i HAVE to have grilled corn on the cob! and while you can put a block of butter and make that corn soooo good, i've changed my method to keep it healthy and still tasty.
Recipe: Grilled Corn on the Cob
corn on the cob - cleaned and mustache-free
olive oil
Season-All Salt
foil
Brush each corn with olive oil using a sauce brush. Spread Season-All salt and cover each corn with foil and grill.
if you get a good quality (and plump) corn, this will be a hit! better yet, you'll know that you are serving a healthy side.
i had a pack of 1 lb ground turkey and i felt like a burger, so i made 4 burger patties this way:
Recipe: Basic Turkey Burger
1 pack 1-lb ground turkey
olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Worcestershire sauce
cheese - optional
Divide the ground turkey into 4 patties, making sure that the center of the patty is lightly pressed in (courtesy of Bobby Flay's grilling method!). Lay it out on a plate for seasoning: coat with olive oil, then generously douse with salt (about a teaspoon) and pepper (about half teaspoon). Dab (quarter-sized) with Worcestershire sauce. Flip the patties and season as well.
Grill the patties on a grill or in a medium-to-large-sized pan on medium-high heat. When the burger is almost ready, place a slice of cheese on top and let it cook for a minute or until the cheese is lightly melted.
//
i also made caramelized onion:
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 TBS olive oil
1/4 TBS kosher salt
1 TSP fresh ground pepper
Heat the oil in the pan and add the ingredients. Cook until brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
//
anytime i grill, i HAVE to have grilled corn on the cob! and while you can put a block of butter and make that corn soooo good, i've changed my method to keep it healthy and still tasty.
Recipe: Grilled Corn on the Cob
corn on the cob - cleaned and mustache-free
olive oil
Season-All Salt
foil
Brush each corn with olive oil using a sauce brush. Spread Season-All salt and cover each corn with foil and grill.
if you get a good quality (and plump) corn, this will be a hit! better yet, you'll know that you are serving a healthy side.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Beef Brisket, or Beef Brisket?
it's no secret that i am severely addicted to The Food Network.
while watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay, an episode featured Beef Brisket:
1) Paesano's Italian Beef Brisket (Philadelphia, PA) versus 2) Bobby Flay's Beef Brisket
thinking that i will try Bobby Flay's recipe, i bought a small chunk of brisket - about 2 pounds. and i ended up using Paesano's recipe instead (minus the tomato paste). it would have been for a dinner party, except i didn't realize it was too small to feed 10 people. i made it anyway. regardless of many deviations to recipes, it turned out a success. Below are two recipes with my twist.
Recipes Courtesy of Food Network
Recipe: Modified version of Paesano's Italian Beef Brisket
Marinade:
1/2 CUP red wine vinegar
dash of minced garlic
1/4 CUP (brown) sugar
dash of kosher salt
1/2 TBS dried oregano
1/2 TBS fennel seed
1/4 TBS freshly ground black pepper
1/2 CUP water
Brisket:
3-5 lb brisket
1/4 CUP tomato paste
4-8 roasted tomatoes (see recipe below)
sliced pepperoncini for serving
Roasted Tomatoes:
1 Jersey tomato (??), cut into eight pieces
1/2 TBS minced garlic
1/2 TSP oregano
dash of red wine vinegar
1/2 TBS salt
1/4 TBS sugar
Directions:
Prepare the marinade by adding all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil - for 5 min. Let it cool. Set in a baking dish and place the brisket and marinade. Cover and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight (or vacuum seal for few hours).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F for bristket; 275 degrees F for Roasted Tomatoes.
Smear brisket with tomato paste and place in an oven dish. Cook for 5 hours or until meat falls apart easily. Slice the meat against the grain and serve or keep it warm in the jus.
For Roasted Tomatoes, roast for 1 hour. Serve with sliced meat.
//
Recipe: Modified version of Bobby Flay's Beef Brisket Grinder
olive oil
3 1/2 - 4 lb brisket, trimmed
dash of kosher salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 large carrots, cut into 1-in pieces
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bottles porter beer
4-6 cups chicken stock
dash of bay leaves, thyme, parsley
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat until it simmers. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season (generously) with salt and pepper, sear brown on both sides and remove to a baking sheet.
Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for additional minute. Add beer and reduce the sauce to half.
Add brisket to the pot and pour chicken stock until meat is half covered. Add bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Move the pot to the oven and cook for additional 3 hours or until tender and meat falls apart easily. Slice the meat against the grain and serve or keep it warm in the jus.
//
i served the brisket with my version of simple stir-fried veggies:
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
1 pint baby bella mushroom (or any type of mushroom), sliced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
On a large frying pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced veggies and season with salt and pepper, stir-fry for 3-5 minutes or until cooked. Serve with sliced brisket on a sandwich.
while watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay, an episode featured Beef Brisket:
1) Paesano's Italian Beef Brisket (Philadelphia, PA) versus 2) Bobby Flay's Beef Brisket
thinking that i will try Bobby Flay's recipe, i bought a small chunk of brisket - about 2 pounds. and i ended up using Paesano's recipe instead (minus the tomato paste). it would have been for a dinner party, except i didn't realize it was too small to feed 10 people. i made it anyway. regardless of many deviations to recipes, it turned out a success. Below are two recipes with my twist.
Recipes Courtesy of Food Network
Recipe: Modified version of Paesano's Italian Beef Brisket
Marinade:
1/2 CUP red wine vinegar
dash of minced garlic
1/4 CUP (brown) sugar
dash of kosher salt
1/2 TBS dried oregano
1/2 TBS fennel seed
1/4 TBS freshly ground black pepper
1/2 CUP water
Brisket:
3-5 lb brisket
1/4 CUP tomato paste
4-8 roasted tomatoes (see recipe below)
sliced pepperoncini for serving
Roasted Tomatoes:
1 Jersey tomato (??), cut into eight pieces
1/2 TBS minced garlic
1/2 TSP oregano
dash of red wine vinegar
1/2 TBS salt
1/4 TBS sugar
Directions:
Prepare the marinade by adding all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil - for 5 min. Let it cool. Set in a baking dish and place the brisket and marinade. Cover and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight (or vacuum seal for few hours).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F for bristket; 275 degrees F for Roasted Tomatoes.
Smear brisket with tomato paste and place in an oven dish. Cook for 5 hours or until meat falls apart easily. Slice the meat against the grain and serve or keep it warm in the jus.
For Roasted Tomatoes, roast for 1 hour. Serve with sliced meat.
//
Recipe: Modified version of Bobby Flay's Beef Brisket Grinder
olive oil
3 1/2 - 4 lb brisket, trimmed
dash of kosher salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 large carrots, cut into 1-in pieces
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bottles porter beer
4-6 cups chicken stock
dash of bay leaves, thyme, parsley
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat until it simmers. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season (generously) with salt and pepper, sear brown on both sides and remove to a baking sheet.
Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for additional minute. Add beer and reduce the sauce to half.
Add brisket to the pot and pour chicken stock until meat is half covered. Add bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Move the pot to the oven and cook for additional 3 hours or until tender and meat falls apart easily. Slice the meat against the grain and serve or keep it warm in the jus.
//
i served the brisket with my version of simple stir-fried veggies:
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
1 pint baby bella mushroom (or any type of mushroom), sliced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
On a large frying pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced veggies and season with salt and pepper, stir-fry for 3-5 minutes or until cooked. Serve with sliced brisket on a sandwich.
Swordfish, anyone?
last Sat morning, i went over to The Fresh Market to grab some "fresh" groceries, including some fresh ground turkey. after all, the price was the same as the prepackaged ones at other grocery stores (yay!). Well, i came home to drop off the goods and had to run out again for something so my husband put everything in the fridge.
when i came back, i started to prep for dinner - ground turkey, check. buns - check. lettuce - check. swordfish loin - wait, what?
there, in our refrigerator, was rather a decent-sized cut of a swordfish loin, priced at over $10. it must have been the previous person's purchase that got tucked away @ The Fresh Market and sent over with my groceries. oops.
so here we were, with a surplus of a swordfish loin. never have i ever ordered swordfish at a restaurant, nor know what what i can do with it; neither has my husband.
so it's been a week since we've been staring at it in the refrigerator, not knowing what to do with it.
on Sunday morning, as we were staring into our rather empty refrigerator, my husband goes outside and turns on the grill. "i'm going to grill some swordfish steak!" he said. We kept it simple - olive oil, salt, pepper... and grilled to perfection. the texture of swordfish steak was similar to tuna, except it was juicier (cooked well-done) whereas tuna tends to be a little dry when cooked all the way. yum!
as we're eating it, my hubs turns to me and says, "you need to eat all of the swordfish steak. somebody had to pay a lot of money for it. SOMEbody..." hahaha.
so to whoever paid for that swordfish and never got your fancy dinner-for-two's main ingredient, we thank you. :)
** apparently, swordfish is similar to tuna steak and can be eaten rare. not for us this time, we opted for fully cooked since it was in our refrigerator for a week... but maybe next time we get a free swordfish filet again, we'll try it... haha **
Recipe: Grilled Swordfish Loin Steak
Ingredients:
swordfish loin
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
fresh lemon or lime (if available)
Prepare the fish by rubbing some olive oil
Season the filet by generously putting salt & pepper
Grill - or cook over the stovetop
Squeeze some lemon or lime over the filet
when i came back, i started to prep for dinner - ground turkey, check. buns - check. lettuce - check. swordfish loin - wait, what?
there, in our refrigerator, was rather a decent-sized cut of a swordfish loin, priced at over $10. it must have been the previous person's purchase that got tucked away @ The Fresh Market and sent over with my groceries. oops.
so here we were, with a surplus of a swordfish loin. never have i ever ordered swordfish at a restaurant, nor know what what i can do with it; neither has my husband.
so it's been a week since we've been staring at it in the refrigerator, not knowing what to do with it.
on Sunday morning, as we were staring into our rather empty refrigerator, my husband goes outside and turns on the grill. "i'm going to grill some swordfish steak!" he said. We kept it simple - olive oil, salt, pepper... and grilled to perfection. the texture of swordfish steak was similar to tuna, except it was juicier (cooked well-done) whereas tuna tends to be a little dry when cooked all the way. yum!
as we're eating it, my hubs turns to me and says, "you need to eat all of the swordfish steak. somebody had to pay a lot of money for it. SOMEbody..." hahaha.
so to whoever paid for that swordfish and never got your fancy dinner-for-two's main ingredient, we thank you. :)
** apparently, swordfish is similar to tuna steak and can be eaten rare. not for us this time, we opted for fully cooked since it was in our refrigerator for a week... but maybe next time we get a free swordfish filet again, we'll try it... haha **
Recipe: Grilled Swordfish Loin Steak
Ingredients:
swordfish loin
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
fresh lemon or lime (if available)
Prepare the fish by rubbing some olive oil
Season the filet by generously putting salt & pepper
Grill - or cook over the stovetop
Squeeze some lemon or lime over the filet
Friday, June 3, 2011
The Naming Convention
It just dawned on me today that we passed a great opportunity to name our son with a unique name. Why couldn't I be more creative when we were thinking of baby names? He would have had such a cool name!
What is that name, you ask?
Rather than Jackson, it could have been...
Jakçon - with the squiggly "c"!
Yes, that squiggly c has a name, and it's called, 'cédille' or 'cedilla'.
How cool would it have been to spell your name out, "J... A... K... Cedilla... O... N..."?
There would be a lot of, "excuse me? Can you spell that again?"
Hahaha. Oh well. I guess normal spelling would do for now.
What is that name, you ask?
Rather than Jackson, it could have been...
Jakçon - with the squiggly "c"!
Yes, that squiggly c has a name, and it's called, 'cédille' or 'cedilla'.
How cool would it have been to spell your name out, "J... A... K... Cedilla... O... N..."?
There would be a lot of, "excuse me? Can you spell that again?"
Hahaha. Oh well. I guess normal spelling would do for now.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Avengers
i take pride in the fact that i speak two languages fluently.
no wait, let me take that back. i speak two languages proficiently enough to get by and be laughed at. and many times, people are too kind to correct me on my pronunciations or usage of the words.
for example, the word "Avengers".
i know the word, "avenge" and i can pronounce it correctly. and putting the "-r" at the end will PROBABLY not change the pronunciation. regardless, it just sounds more appropriate to say, "Eh'-ven-jurz" than "uh-VEN'-jurz". don't ask why because i don't know.
Only after about a year of saying "Eh'-ven-jurz" did my husband correct me on my pronunciation.
his comment? "i thought you were just making a joke with the pronunciation this whole time..."
i'm just glad that my hubs speaks gooder engrish.
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