I'm Here! + Lime-Glazed Cookies

I'm here, I'm here! I hope you didn't forget about me while I was away... I know I didn't forget about you :) A lot has happened since the last time I posted something (on the first day of this year -- over six months ago). A lot has also not happened since then, as well.

Like cooking or baking. That pretty much did not happen at all.

Writing things for fun. Nope.

Doing anything blog related. Nada.

But I do have some good excuses, and I also have some good reasons for coming back.

The last time I posted I looked something like this:

But this time I look something like THIS:

That's right... we're having a baby!!!

So, you can see why I haven't been around for awhile. Between morning sickness for the first trimester and just overall tiredness at the end of teaching all day long while being pregnant for the rest of the time, I had no energy to spend doing something creative in the kitchen. There were many times when I just had no energy to go into the kitchen, let alone be creative. The second trimester was much easier and I started cooking again, but nothing newsworthy. I actually just visited my own blog each week and thought, "What are the easiest things I can make?" Which led us to a diet of fish tacos, leek-baked eggs, and lots and lots of pasta.

But now I am back, and I am back for real!

Last Friday I said goodbye to another group of students and locked my classroom door -- but this time I will not be getting another bunch in the Fall. This time I will be taking care of my own baby boy, my now full-time student as several friends have called him. My chosen career as a teacher was spectacular, and now my new chosen "career" as a homemaker/at-home-mommy will be a new adventure, equally spectacular yet very, very different.

So now, after growing a baby, teaching children to write essays and do multiplication, and writing a master's thesis (oh yeah, I did that as well this year), I am READY to be back in the kitchen. To help me get motivated and hold me somewhat accountable I asked my friends on Facebook if anyone was interested in joining a baking group with me. Nineteen of my friends said yes! The very first recipe we did was Martha Stewart's Lime-Glazed Cookies, and this household of two-and-a-half loved them. It was a nice blend of tart and sweet, and really great to enjoy on a hot summer day. Be forewarned, however... they are small and you might just eat the whole batch in one day. I mean, it's not like we did or anything. Shoot -- who am I kidding? We totally did. Feel free to do the same thing, too. You might just have to find a different excuse as my "I'm eating for two" doesn't apply to everybody at this moment ;)

Thank you so much for stopping by today and reading this. I am very happy to be back on this cooking journey with you, and hope that this finds you well, healthy, and happy. Cheers!

LIME-GLAZED COOKIES

Recipe from Everyday Food, July/August 2004

(Glaze recipe slightly adapted)

24-32 COOKIES   •  PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

Ingredients for the cookies:

• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lime zest (from about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the glaze:

• ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest

directions

1. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add lime zest, lime juice, and salt; beat until combined. Add flour; beat until dough is just combined.
2. Place dough on a 16-by-12-inch piece of parchment or wax paper. Using your hands, shape into an 8-inch log; flatten into a rectangle (1 1/2 inches high and 2 1/2 inches wide). Fold paper over log; flatten sides against work surface. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice dough crosswise 1/4 inch thick; place on sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed and barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool; glaze.
4. To make Lime Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until spreadable. Using back of a small spoon, spread about 1/2 teaspoon glaze on each cooled cookie.

Store unglazed cookies in airtight container, up to four days. Glazed cookies are best eaten the day they are glazed.

COST: $3.82 (Less than 20cents per cookie)

Cookies    //    Dessert    //   Baking

Nutritional Information per Cookie
calories 107   •    total fat 6g    •    sodium 1g    •    sugars 6.8g   •    protein 1g

The Cost of Eating Healthy (and my two cents)

//source//

After a busy two weeks, I was getting ready to put something on my blog.  No, not the amazing peppermint cookies I have been chowing down on (because I have yet to take pictures of them -- blame it on the minimal hours of daylight), but something to say, "Hey, I'm here!  Don't forget me!" Something fun. Something cute.

But then I saw this article pop up in my newsfeed on Facebook.  And after reading through it, and then reading through the comments, I changed my plan.

Fun and cute can wait for another day.

Today we need to talk about eating healthy (yes) and the cost of it (yes).  But most importantly, we need to talk about perceptions of this.

I am not going to sit here and give you figures about the cost of eating a healthier diet, because you can find that information quite easily.  I am also not going to share how eating more fruits and vegetables costs more money than packaged food because, at least in the USA, we all know this to be a general truth. My eyes were really opened to this when I took a master's level class on how health impacts a student's ability to learn, and how income impacts health. As you may be aware if you have followed this blog for awhile, that class combined with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution were the main reasons I set out to learn to cook. That is why this blog is here -- because I wanted to be able to eat healthy food that I could afford and still tasted great.

We get it. Eating a healthy diet is more expensive. It is unfortunate, but it is a reality.

I also get that food deserts exist. For the 7-10% of Americans who live in these areas, that is a real problem, and I am not here to offer a solution, because I do not have one. I wish I did...

What I am going to say is this: for those many, many people who instantly commented on NPR's article saying that it costs on average $600 a month PER PERSON to eat healthy, or all those people who clearly commented without reading the article as the examples shared in the comments don't fit with what the article said at all but then rattled on reason after reason why this article is full of BS (with all caps here and there)... let's all just stop and breathe. 

And then, let's read the information, look at where their findings are coming from, see if we agree with it or not, and then move on with our lives.

As for me, I agree. Why? Because I have been pricing out food for the past three years. That was the whole reason I started this blog: to keep a record of what we ate, how much it cost, and then use that information to make wise decisions while planning for what we are going to eat next week. Through this, and finding out tricks like shopping at the Farmers' Market or making beans from scratch, I have learned to keep our food costs quite low.

I get that there are a lot of variables in this equation, and that many things (location, time, availability of products, etc.) can change what is possible. Maybe your shopping style is different than mine. Maybe you don't enjoy cooking and you need something fast.  Maybe you really just want to eat a Big Mac. Go ahead. That's OK, that's your decision. I've been there, I get it. But people, we've got to stop attacking the messenger just because we don't like the message. And please, please, please, let's stop ganging up on people (fellow commentors) because they have a different experience than us.

Maybe you really do spend $600 per month for one person to eat healthy without ever going out to eat.  I am sorry for you, and I hope you find ways to cut back on that. But either way, that's OK. It's your money.

Maybe you really struggle to just make ends meet. I grew up in that reality, and I know a lot of people live in that daily. My heart goes out to you, for I know it is a challenge.

For most of us, though, we probably fall somewhere in the middle. Let's take ownership of our decisions. Heck, when I want a McChicken, I am going to get a McChicken. Yes, even me with a blog on finding healthy food. And that's alright. As long as I don't yell at NPR for it.

What are some ways you have found to keep the cost of food down?


(Looking for some low cost meal ideas? Click for $1 meal ideas and $2 meal ideas (per serving).  Cheaper than a Big Mac :) )

An Instagram Scavenger Hunt Birthday

Every year, when my husband's birthday rolls around, I rack my brain for the perfect activity to do.  He's not a kid (obviously) but I like fun.  And what better time to have fun than on birthdays?

I am kind of over the go-out-to-eat every single year thing (although sometimes that is what we do), and I want to make it something that is very affordable (so all can participate) and family friendly (since many of our friends have kids).

My two favorite so far have been glow-in-the-dark Ultimate Frisbee (30th) and now this year: an Instagram Scavenger Hunt!

(Yes, they are holding a frozen chicken right there. Frozen Chicken was not on the list.  

But bird was, and this totally counts.)

Throughout my life, I have done participated in different variations of photo-scavenger hunts: Polaroids in my younger years, digital pictures uploaded to a computer while in college and after, and then this summer in NYC I met up with a friend who created the perfect blend of modern technology with this kind of activity: Instagram-Scavenger Hunt!  (Nice one, Deanne!)

(Surf.  I was picturing waves, they found laundry detergent. HAHAHA!)

If you have never participated in a photo scavenger hunt of any kind, it is super easy and TONS of fun.  

1. Create a list of things to find.  They can be specific ("A Stop Sign") or open-ended ("Winter").  I put about 20 things on the list to give it good variety.  And for some reason, every single time I have a police officer on there.  I think it is an added challenge... unless you are like the little girl below ;)  (I also include things like "With a family you have never seen before" or "With a Trader Joe's employee". Any time you have strangers participate it makes it much more exciting.)
2. Get enough people together to have a few teams, but don't count yourself -- somebody needs to monitor the pictures.
3. Set the guidelines: Where do you meet?  What time do you need to come back together? (We did an hour and a half for this one -- and met up at In-n-Out.  WIN!)  Do you get bonus points if all of the people are in the picture and it is not a selfie (meaning someone else had to take the picture)?  
4. Get together, make sure the leader is following all of the Instagram accounts (and help create ones for groups that don't have anybody on Instagram), and then send them off!  One point for each item on the list found, bonus points for any of the whole group or whatever you decide, and ta-da!  Insta-party!

If you haven't had the chance to participate in one of these scavenger hunts, stop what you are doing and go organize one RIGHT NOW.  The cost is low, just any party favors you have for props -- such as these glasses and party hats, while the amount of fun is high.  From four year-olds to 44 year-olds, we had a fabulous time, filled with laughter and celebration.  So, GO, do it!!!

What are your fabulous ideas for birthday parties???

Look Who's in Redbook!

One of my recipes made Redbook!  They have a great selection of mashed veggies to try there, not just this one... from mashed rutabagas (which I don't even know what those are) to mashed parsnips with carmelized onions, the options are varied and delicious.  Click on the words below to see for yourself.

Veggie Mash-Ups from Redbook

And Redbook, thank you!  YOU are who I am grateful for today :)

Give Thanks + Chicken Thighs over Roasted Vegetables

Apparently, I have a thing for chicken thighs. First the chicken thighs over butternut squash and cranberries, and now this. But I don't deny it. Here's why I like them: they are cheap and they taste better than the other parts. My personal preference, I know, but the money thing.. you can't argue with that!

But enough chicken-talk! Let's start giving thanks :)

Day 4:  I am grateful for my close friends who were there for me that day 11 years ago -- whether they grabbed the phone out of my hand as I started screaming or sat me down and got me the help I needed to process what I had just heard. I am grateful for one of my closest friends for holding my hand as I said goodbye to my mom one last time. And I am grateful for my one of my first childhood friends for being right there beside me during the funeral, the only person who could truly understand as she had lost her mom a few years before, and for saying the words I needed to hear: It's hard and it sucks, and it was going to suck even more before it was over, but one day it would get a little easier. Thank you.

Day 5:  I am grateful for Dang, the Hertz Rental Car employee who observed how much trouble I had getting a vehicle for a field trip in the morning -- 1 1/2 hours late and not cleaned -- and not only gave back a good portion of the money upon my return (before I could even ask), but then came around from behind the counter, sat down in the seat across from me, and listened while I explained why I was frustrated. He didn't make excuses, he didn't blame it on others (even though it was not his fault), he JUST LISTENED. 

Who/what are YOU thankful for today?

CHICKEN THIGHS OVER ROASTED VEGETABLES

Recipe inspired by Everyday Food’s PorkChops with Fennel and Carrots

SERVES 6 •  PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES

ingredients

• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch wedges
• 1 pound carrots, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges, root end left intact
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• lemon wedges, for serving

directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss fennel, carrots, onion, and garlic with 2 tablespoons rosemary and 4 tablespoons oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast until vegetables are tender and browned in spots, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.  Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining rosemary.  In batches, cook until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes each side.  Check to make sure it is fully cooked.
3. Serve chicken on top of roasted vegetables.  Squeeze lemon juice on top, if desired.

                                                                                                         

COST: $14.81              COST PER SERVING (6): $2.47

Unprocessed    //    Gluten Free    //   Dairy Free

Give Thanks 1 + Chicken Thighs over Butternut Squash

Fall is a season of orange. Seriously. Look at the leaves, the pumpkins, the recipes on my page.  Today I have another orange-colored recipe for you.  I also have some "thanks" to give out.  Because Fall is also a season of thanksgiving.

This year, instead of finding something I am grateful for (a warm bed, a home to call my own, etc.), I am focusing on someone that I am grateful for.  Many posts this month will be include these mentions of gratitude.  And I hope you will join me and share your person that you are grateful for in the comments.

Day 1: I am grateful for the legacy of a pastor I had when I was 20 years old. He didn't get to see it play out because he (along with his life and son) were taken long before anyone expected, but I am thankful for him recognizing leadership ability in me when nobody else did, myself included. He sought me out to and gave me responsibility, and I grew in ways I never would have if he had not seen that potential in me.  Some day I will be able to say thank you to his face, but until then I will never forget that he was the one who started that area of growth in my life.

Day 2: I am grateful for my dad, whose words of pride started off my day.

Day 3 (today): I was going to wait until a specific date (one with great significance) to say this, but everyday it is the truth: I am grateful for my husband. BEYOND grateful. He loves me with a full love, truly is my best friend, my laughing buddy, my fellow adventure planner, and my shoulder to cry on. I am a blessed woman, and I am aware of that every day.

Who have YOU been grateful for these past three days?

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CRANBERRIES

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food,October 2011

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved, and seeded
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, cut into ½-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup dried cranberries

directions

1. Cut the squash into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
2. In a large pot with a heavy bottom, heat 1 T. of oil over medium-high.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and, in two batches, cook skin side down, until skin is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate; pour off fat from pot.
3. Add 1 T. oil, squash, and onion to pot and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add sage, flour, ginger, and nutmeg.  Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, 1 minute.  Nestle chicken, skin side up, in squash mixture.  Add cranberries and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

                                                                                                         

COST: $11.93              COST PER SERVING (4): $2.98

Unprocessed    //    Fall Food    //   Dairy Free

Will Smith and My World View (The Wednesday Files)

There are a lot of fun things about marrying somebody from a different country -- the travel (because having to spend a few weeks in Brazil isn't all that bad!), the sexy accent (as it can make even the most boring word sound exotic and fun), and the many festas and futebol games that brought into your life.  But by far, one of my favorites is being able to share important cultural gems with my man.

Things like why I said, "We were gettin' jiggy wit it out there!"

"Gettig' jiggy wit it?  They never taught me that in my language school..."

Nope, they did not.  And it is a shame.  Because you missed an important part of the American heritage.

This is where YouTube has come in really handy. I just share this and instantly he understands...

Imagine the days before YouTube.  I mean, obviously I remember them.  In fact, I remember them quite well.  The first time I ever saw something on YouTube must have been around 2006 when a friend wanted to show us all the Ikea commercials that were banned in the USA.  But not in Europe!  And so we had sat and we watched and we laughed, and then we watched some more and laughed some more until our sides hurt. What an incredible waste of time, right? But -- oh! -- it was so funny!  Today it is just a part of our lives, and one that I am grateful for.  I mean, how else could I have explained to my husband tonight why I started singing, "Well, this is the story // all about how // my life got flipped // turned upside down..." when he put his hat on sideways and started dancing around?

If a picture speaks a thousand words, a video clip must speak well over a million.

Noticing a theme?

Yeah. Will Smith and I apparently go way back, and he has shaped the way I see the world.

I am not so sure that is a good thing, but it sure isn't a bad thing.  And now, thanks to the technology we have today, he can help shape the world of a Brazilian boy trying to understand this American way of life, one catch phrase or quick jingle at a time.


** Yes, I recognize that these are actually Vimeo videos, not YouTube.  They just embed nicer into the post.  But YouTube is my standard, go-to for important things like this ;)

// other posts on dual-cultural life //

The Brazilian Invasion (Wednesday Files)

Beans are on the stove cooking right now.  The smell is good... very good.  And it always makes me feel a little more in touch with the Brazilian side of our life.  Because when beans come, so does the rice, the salada, the Portuguese.

I was just scrolling through some pictures from this summer... not the ones from my crazy 24 day whirlwind on the East Coast, but from the other whirlwind that came through: The Brazilian Invasion.

Not only did we have seven people live with us this summer for a whole month (people as in family and friends), but we embarked on a ten-day road trip with them all.  Two cars, fifteen hundred miles, plenty of pit stops.  Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles... with a visit to Mickey in there, of course.  Too bad I forgot my camera that day.

Venice Beach is always interesting, and this time proved to be no different.

Hollywood?  The stars are still there in the sidewalk, right where I left them last time I visited.  But San Diego?  San Diego always impresses me.

Of course, our favorite moments were not caught on film.  Unexpected street fairs.  Finding ice cream in unlikely places, like the Los Angeles Union Station.  A good game of soccer in the middle of a parking lot while we wait for traffic to subside...

But some great things were captured.  Like this shot.  I guess this shows how kids really feel about Las Vegas ;)

Apparently, though, it wasn't all bad, as we can see below.  And the car ride?  Not so bad either.  Lots of singing, plenty of jokes, some napping... not a single DVD or iPad in sight.  For hours upon hours.  Because when the Brazilians invade, they make the most of it.  And I am grateful to have been along for the ride.

(A 'Wednesday Files' post)

Stolen Recipes: Pumpkin Bread & Crock Pot Chicken

I've been a bad blogger.  Not with my amount of posting, not with my quality of posting.  Actually, it has nothing to do with what I have going on here.

It has everything to do with what is going on out there.

Being a part of the blog community is something you can only understand if you are a blogger or a heavily-invested reader.  This little community (or rather, this large community, as it spans the globe) is like any other community: you make friends, you find people who annoy you, and you learn to balance that all with kindness and respect.  Or, at least most people do... but there are some people. Hmph.  Those people. 

Like I said, it is like any other community.

And like any other community, you are expected to give and receive.  Isn't that what relationships are all about?  Sometimes it is your turn, sometimes it is the other person's turn.  And we are expected to respect that, support that.

This is where I have been a bad blogger.  In the midst of running to and fro, from the West Coast to the East Coast and back, in the midst of having a house FULL this summer, in the midst of a new school year starting, and then trying to balance many different tasks at the same time, I have neglected my friends in this community.  I still wrote on my blog (albeit, rarely), but I just didn't get around to reading other blogs. It's not that I didn't want to, it's that I just didn't have the time to, and then I got out of the habit.

And that is where I went wrong.  I got out of the habit of supporting, listening, receiving.  This is something that may have been justified for awhile, but one can only make excuses for so long.  So I have made a point this past week to read, listen, and receive from others bloggers.  And I realized miss them -- I missed the posts, I missed the writers behind the posts.  And I missed the incredibly great ideas that you all have coming out of your kitchens!

Right now, as I am typing this, I have the amazing smells of a whole chicken, cooking in the crock pot (don't you love the crock pot and its simplicity, yet hate the fact that you are tormented by amazing smells for hours at a time?!), recipe compliments of Amy at Fearless Homemaker.  Oh my word.  I cannot wait for tonight so I can enjoy this... *wiping drool from my chin*

(expect to see more of this later...)

Along with those smells showing me what is to come, I have delicious pumpkin bread waiting for dessert, straight from Val over at Val SoCal.  I made half the muffiins her recipe called for and turned the rest of the batter into a loaf of pumpkin bread, simply by increasing the baking time to 30 minutes.  The muffins were killer... 12 of them were gone in 24 hours.  I am pretty sure the bread, with a simple swipe of butter on it, will be devoured just as quickly.

Though this, I have realized something.  By me not reading other blogs, it wasn't those bloggers that were missing out; it was I who lost something.  I am happy to be back.  I've missed you guys, and I can't wait to catch up on what's been going on, both in your kitchens and in your lives.

-----------------------------------------------------------

To get these fabulous recipes for yourself, click on the links below to be taken there.  

PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE, by Val SoCal

SLOW COOKER ROAST CHICKEN, by Fearless Homemaker

Baby, We've Come a Long Way...

You know those times when you hear a song and instantly are taken to a specific moment in your life?  Or you smell something, just a whiff, and you feel the arms of a memory wrap around you?

That happens to me, a lot.  In the car I hear a song and I remember. Or I have Pandora on in the kitchen and I have to stop when they unexpectedly play something I haven't heard in awhile, because it all comes washing over me... people, experiences, emotions.  I have tried to make a point to think about and pray for the people the song reminds me of, which would be why my husband found me staring out the window last night as I was emphatically singing along to an old song, my eyes closed tight and my fists clenched.

I was praying for the students from my very first class ten years ago, merely because a song got shuffled in...

It wasn't just that song that got to me last night, however.  It was the smells.

Sauteing onion.
Simmering beef.
Rice.

Instantly I was a newlywed again, back in my little kitchen in our little apartment, surrounded by food I had no idea what to do with it.  And, again, I was cooking ground beef because it was cheap (and that was our key operating term at that point in our lives... newlyweds, ya know?) and really, because it was all I knew how to make.

Honestly?  The only reason I knew how to cook it was because I had made a phone call to a friend at some point.  Help me, I pleaded, help me know what to do with this package of beef.

For the first time I didn't have Hamburger Helper to mix in with it and it stared back at me.  What on earth was I supposed to do?

But I figured it out.

I also quickly learned that if you heat up some olive oil in a pan and drop in some spinach with a dash of garlic salt you get a quick veggie side.  The beans we ate back then were dropped into the pot from a can, and the rice was really gooey and sticky -- not at all like the Brazilian rice I was trying to make.  But it was rice and we had beans, there were veggies on the side, and somehow I managed to figure out how to make that simple ground beef taste really good.

This was a basic staple for us during this time.  Maybe not the healthiest, but it was what we could do -- both according to our budget and ability.

This, this flashback to the beginning of our lives together, is what rolled over me last night.  And I couldn't help but notice how different things are.  Same pots, but a different kitchen.  Same food, but a different technique. No longer was this the only thing I could make, but the one I chose, after months and months (and possibly years) without it. Even the flavor was slightly different... the rice, a little more fluffy and a little less sticky; the beans, fresh from the pressure cooker; the beef, perfectly seasoned.

Yes, things have changed.  A lot.  But that smell, the one that voyaged through time, made me realize that despite all these changes, the most important thing has remained constant: that man who ate each one of those simple meals with me back then with a smile on his face is the same man who applauds me and encourages me today, both in the kitchen and out of it.  We may be in a different place now than we were then, both physically and in maturity, but we -- WE -- are the same.  Just two kids in love, doing our best to make a happy mark on the world.


(Both pictures of us were taken during our first year of marriage.)

Love.

I shared this little piece of my heart four years ago on YouTube... just saw it has 23,000+ pageviews.  Little Marshallese superstars, right here <3

Happy Wednesday!

Real Life: Bife a Role (Steak Rolls)

I don't know if I have mentioned this or not, but we had a house full this summer.  FULL.  Seven people came from Brazil, a combination of family and friends... for a month.

Yes, we might be a bit crazy.  Maybe.  But it's what you do when half of your world is, well, half-a-world away.  You maximize the time you have together.

Meaning, you blow up lots and lots of air mattresses and know that your home is not your home for the next 30 days, but just home.  Home to many, but home nonetheless.

This, of course, throws off your schedule greatly.  As in, the word 'schedule' is probably not a part of your daily vocabulary, in English or ever-progressing-Portuguese.  And your normal habits and preferences? They are replaced with field trips to Ross and then quick runs made to Target.  Because every Brazilian loves Ross, and every American loves Target.  You gotta keep it balanced.

Of course, bigger things happen.  Road trips around California; going camping with people who have never done it before; laughter ringing out from the table that usually seats two but can seat four, yet somehow manages to seat nine when you are really trying...

In the midst of all this, life continues to move forward. Some people head off to work while others head to the pool and bills are hopefully remembered and paid on time.  But at the end of the day (and a couple times before then), everyone needs to eat. A few gather in the kitchen to chop and dice, saute' and grill. You quickly figure out that feeding nine on a daily basis is a much bigger task than feeding two, while cleaning up sure does go faster when you have so many helping hands.

This goes on in the kitchen --

-- while Skip Bo is taking place in the living room with pillows falling off the couch, and a guitar is being played somewhere else while a few others sit around a computer watching a film clip in Portuguese --

-- and you realize that it's OK that you have Robitussin in the background of your food pictures and everything doesn't look so perfect.  Because this is real life.  And real life does not look like our food blog pictures.

It looks like this... perfectly imperfect.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

(No, I don't have any finished pictures for you.  After all, this was real life, so we sat, ate, and enjoyed each other's company.  If you would like to see what it it looks like, you can click here to be taken to a Google search.)

BIFE A ROLE (STEAK ROLLS)

From my mother-in-law’s kitchen

SERVES 5  •  PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

special items you will need:

• a pressure cooker
• toothpicks

ingredients

• 10 thin slices of Silverside beef, about 5 inches wide and 10 inches long
• 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 5 bacon slices, cut in half (I prefer beef bacon as I don't eat pork bacon, but you can use whatever you like)
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

directions

1. In a dish, season the meat with the juice of the lime and the salt, using your fingers to rub it into the meat.  Set aside.
2. Chop the tomato, onion, bell pepper, and carrot into 5 inch-long slivers -- ten of each vegetable.
3. Taking one piece of meat at a time, place one piece of bacon and one of each of the vegetable pieces.  Roll like a burrito, tightly wrapping it so each end is covered and nothing can fall out.  Secure with toothpicks (2 to 3). 
4. Add the oil to the bottom of the pressure cooker.  Place the beef rolls inside.  Cook in the pressure cooker on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes after the pressure builds up.  When it is finished, be careful to let the pressure die down before you open the lid.

 COST: $16.70     COST PER SERVING (5): $3.34

(Serve with beans and rice to make a complete meal, coming in under $4 per serving.)

A Little Glimpse...

... of why I have NOT been in my kitchen.

Hiking the part of the Appalachian Trail

Enjoying a night at the ball park

Exploring Providence, Rhode Island

"Movies on the Block"

Chillin' with the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation

Seeing one of my best friends get married -- in Denver

Walking through Times Square

Picnic in Central Park

Walking the Freedom Trail in Boston

So, I guess you get it now.  I will return at some point, I promise.  Until then, VIVA SUMMER!

What are YOU up to this summer???