Back in Action

Those of you who have followed this blog for any length of time will remember that my favorite Christmas gift was the pedometer Josh bought me. And, you may also remember how sad I was when it broke.

When we moved to Singapore, I mentioned to Josh that I would love to have a pedometer here because we walk everywhere. He said, "You ought to get one." That was encouragement enough for me =) I've been using my new pedometer for about two weeks now. As I guessed, Singapore living is conducive to meeting the 10,000 steps/day recommended by the American Heart Association (and a bunch of other "experts" too). If I go out at all, I am guaranteed a minimum of 4,000 steps; it is about 500 steps from our front door to the entrance of our condo complex, and another 1,500 from there to main bus stop in our area. Add to that the walking I do once I arrive wherever the bus takes me, and you can see why 10,000 isn't a difficult goal.

Chicken Satay

Although it isn't exactly a Singaporean dish ("they" aren't sure where it originated, possibly Indonesia), Satay is a popular entree throughout Southeast Asia, Singapore included. There are a million versions of this simple meal but here is a recipe for one of Josh's and my favorite variations. Hope you enjoy!

Because several of the ingredients are unusual items (at least in my kitchen), I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe and freezing the extra prior to cooking. I'll include the freezer directions, just in case.


Chicken Satay
Serves 6

Marinade/Sauce
6 cloves minced garlic
4 Tbs grated ginger (you can usually find it in a jar where the garlic is)
4 Tbs cider vinegar
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce (in Asian section of store)
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbs peanut butter (smooth works better)
4 Tbs sesame oil (you can substitute veg oil, but the flavor of sesame is better)
2 Tbs honey
2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more to taste!)

Instructions:
Mix the above together. Divide in two. Half will be used to marinade the chicken. Half will be heated and used as a sauce.

Marinade 6 boneless, skinless breasts (cut into 1-2 inch slices) for at least an hour.
Skewer marinated meat and grill on BBQ. Use extra marinade to baste chicken, but be sure that marinade thoroughly cooked with the meat!

Heat reserved sauce. Serve chicken with sauce over rice. Grilled veggies and fresh tropical fruit round out the meal nicely.

Freezer instructions:
Make marinade/sauce and put half in a freezer bag with chicken. Put the other half in a quart-sized bag. Place both bags inside a 3rd bag and label. Allow meat/sauce to thaw completely before cooking.

So much for resolutions

Some of you may have been following my progress on the 2,700,000 in 2007 (see sidebar). Well. . . I have unfortunate news. During our recent move, I dropped my pedometer and broke it. I've tried to continue wearing it, but the battery falling out, clearing out all my accrued steps. So, sadly, this fun experiment is over. I suppose I could take the results from the first three months of the year and multiply them by four to see if my estimated total for the year would have even come close to my original goal, but since I can tell that it won't, I'm going to spare myself the disappointment. =)

I'd like to get another pedometer soon, though. A better one that I can slip into my pocket or something. I plan to do quite a bit of walking in the Land of Eternal Summer.

More information on this to follow. Stay tuned!

Going Bananas Bread

I recently purchased a LARGE bunch of bananas, half of which turned brown before we could eat them. Why I purchased such a large bunch, I'll never know (call it Costco fever!). But don't worry. . . not a single banana went to waste. They got mushed up and baked into one of the best Banana Bread recipes I've found.

Hope you enjoy.

Going Bananas Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 generous cup mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
5 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and bananas. Stir until just mixed.
3. Add flour, soda, powder, salt & cinnamon. (You can either sift the ingredients before adding OR dump them on top of the batter and use a fork to stir them slightly before mixing with rest of batter.) Mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
4. Stir in nuts, milk and vanilla.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes, or until top is browned and cracked. Halfway through cooking time, sprinkle the top of the loaf with cinnamon and sugar for an added treat.

Arabian Nights (aka Shish Kebobs and Rice)

Hands down, one of our favorite meals is skewered beef and tomatoes with grilled onions over white rice. Add to that a side of cucumber salad and your taste buds will be jumping for joy.

Recipe for an Arabian Night

Prep Time 30 minutes (plus a few hours to soak meat in marinade*)
Cook Time 15 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs A-1 steak sauce
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless sirloin, cubed
6 Roma tomatoes, cut into large chunks seasoned lightly with salt & pepper
2 yellow onions, sliced into rings, seasoned with salt & pepper and olive oil
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered and then sliced
1 Tbs chopped onion
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs White or Red Vinegar
salt & pepper to taste


Instructions:
Boil marinade ingredients (first 8 ingredients) until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly and pour into gallon sized zip-lock containing cubed sirloin. Allow meat to soak for several hours.
(Freezer Tip: at this point, you can also freeze the meat. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and allow to soak as it defrosts)
Prepare cucumber salad (cucumber, onion, oil, vinegar and spices). Soak in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
On approximately 12 skewers, skewer meat together with tomatoes, beginning and ending each skewer with meat.
Prepare rice according to directions.
BBQ or broil skewers and sliced onions to desired doneness (about 10-15 minutes, rotating several times).
Serve immediately over hot rice with cool cucumber salad. And, most importantly. . . Enjoy!

**I found the marinade recipe in Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer. So far, it is the best freezer-cooking cookbook I've found.

Baked Burritos

Here is a fast and yummy recipe that has been a real hit around here. The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be easily prepared in bulk and frozen for future busy evenings. It's not the world's healthiest, but I promise it is yummy!

Baked Burritos

1 can pinto beans, undrained
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp (more or less depending on taste)ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

In large skillet, combine above ingredients and heat liquid to boiling. Mash beans to desired consistency (we like ours chunky). Add:

1 lb ground beef, browned
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded monterey or pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup salsa
3 Tbs Chalula (hot sauce)
3 Tbs white or cider vinegar

Simmer and allow to thicken slightly.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Wrap 6-8 flour tortillas in a moistened dishtowel and heat for 1 minute in the microwave on high (this softens them and makes them easier to wrap). Spoon mixture onto warmed tortillas and wrap.

(If you plan to freeze, you would now individually wrap the burritos in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. When ready to serve, remove however many you plan to serve and defrost in microwave. Continue with baking instructions.)

Place burritos in 9x13 pan. Brush tops generously with butter and sprinkle lightly with cheese and cayenne pepper.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or just until tortilla is golden brown.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and salsa.

We like to eat this meal with a Mexican salad (regular salad with broken tortilla chips instead of croutons, and dressing mixed with salsa) and a bowlful of fresh fruit.

A Bowlful of Goodness

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With that in mind, it makes sense to start the day with an added dose of goodness: whole-grains, nuts, dried fruit, and delicious taste. Homemade granola is a breeze to make and costs about 1/4 of the price of its store-bought counterpart. Here is my favorite recipe.

Crunchy Granola

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg and/or cinnamon (optional)
8 cups rolled oats (you can substitute other dry goods, such as flaxseed, for a portion of the oats)
2 cups chopped nuts (I like pecans and almonds)
1- 2 cups dried fruit (I like raisins, coconut, and dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 275.
Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

In a Pyrex 4-cup glass, mix brown sugar and water. Microwave on high for 5 minutes (or until sugar is completely dissolved). Remove from microwave and add vanilla, salt and spices.

In a large mixing bowl combine oats and nuts. Pour brown sugar mixture over dry ingredients and stir until oats are evenly moistened. Spread the granola onto the cookie sheets and bake for about 1 hour, stirring halfway through.

When mixture comes out of the oven it is still soft. Add the dry fruit immediately and stir. Granola will harden as it cools. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Ps 119:9-11

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to your word.
With my whole heart I have sought you.
Oh, let me know wander from your commandments.
Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Ps 119:9-11

I thought I'd start my "207 in 2007" with a passage that would focus on the importance of scripture. As I have meditated on this passage this week, I've really been reminded of how important it is to fill my heart and mind with scripture. God has given me "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" to fight against my sinful desires and yet, how often do I try every other approach possible? Jesus should be my example in this. He didn't mess around. When Satan tempted him in the desert, Jesus responded with nothing less than the Word of God. Shouldn't I do the same?

This passage teaches us that the way to keep from sinning is to take heed according to God's word. How can we take heed according to something we don't know? We can't. The time to learn God's Word is before the temptation strikes. If you're anything like me, you have neither the time nor desire to race to the Bible in the heat of the moment of temptation. God's word must be ready for instantaneous use. . . right when we need it.

On another note, when I categorized this passage on my memory card, I titled it "God's Word" but I think it could also fall under the "Childrearing" category, too. As a mother, I can't guarantee that my child(ren) will desire Christ. There is no secret formula (if only there were!). However, this passage does give me instruction on how to raise Caleb. I can't make Caleb's decisions for him. . . only God can fill his heart with a love for Christ. But, I can help him hide God's word in his heart. . . it's the first step toward a pure life.

Walking

Caleb loves to go for walks. It's a good thing. . . with over 2.5 million steps to go this year, he'll be going on lots of walks with me!

2007 (updated)

Three New Year Goals

I know I'm a week late in setting my goals for 2007, but here they are:

2,700,000 in 2007
These boots were made for walking and that's just what they'll do. . .

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was the pedometer my husband bought me. It's been very interesting to see how far (or not far!) I walk every day.

My original goal was 2007 miles in 2007. But, after an active day yesterday, I had to readjust. "Active" doesn't mean quite the same thing when you have a three-month old baby. So, I readjusted my goal to make it more realistic. Instead of the equivalent to 5.2 miles a day, my new goal is 2,700,000 steps in 2007. That works out to about 3 miles per day based on my step length. I'm going to add a section to the right to keep a daily and cumulative total going. I'm starting a week late, so I'll have to do some catching up but I think this is a goal I can actually accomplish.

207 in 2007

Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee! Ps. 119:11

One thing I've really been wanting to do is memorize more scripture. When I was in elementary school, I would memorize 10-20 verses every week (that was before the "brain sell phenomenon")! I know memorization gets harder with age, but I think I'm also just plain old lazy. There is absolutely no reason that I should not be able to memorize 207 verses in 2007. That is less than 4 verses each week.

I am going to prepare a list of verses that will 1) help keep me from sinning 2) give me wisdom in regards to raising our son 3) bring me peace (I have been waking up frequently with nightmares).

I'll be posting a list of references for the first 20 soon. That will cover the next month or so, in case any of you want to memorize with me.

27 in 2007
This is a recipe for disaster!

I have a shelf full of recipe books, internet printouts, and handwritten recipes. . . all in a pile! My goal for 2007 is to pick my top 27 main-dish recipes and post them here on my blog. That is enough for a different meal almost every night of the month. I do a lot of freezer cooking (I am still pulling out meals I made from before Caleb was born!) and have hit upon a lot of really great recipes. I'd like to clean-out my disastrous recipe collection and organize it. In the process I'm going to pick 27 recipes to share. Gourmet is great. . . for someone else. For my own sake (and for yours, too, if you're interested), I want to get the best-of-the-best USABLE recipes that I know of into one place.